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Huron Expositor, 2005-05-04, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 4, 2005 Huositor Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Tom Williscraft - Publisher Susan Hundertmark - Editor Dianne McGrath - Subscriptions/Cbssifieds Bernie Pugh - Office/Advertising Jason Middleton - Reporter Adrienne Peckitt - Composing Anne Roden - Distribution OUEBECOR MEDIA E-mail us at seaforth@bowesnet.com Visit our home page at www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com SUBSCRIPTION RATES: LOCAL - 35.85 a year, in advance, plus G.S.T. SENIORS: - 33.85 o year, in advance, plus G.S.T. USA & Foreign: 35.85 a year in advance, plus $83 20 postage, G.S.T exempt Published weekly by Sun Medio at 11 Main St , Seaforth. Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with o reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the odvertisement wit be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of o typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn atony time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. PtJBUCAT1ON MAIL AGREEMENT 40029693 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 7605 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO Circulation Deportment P.O. Box 69 Seaforth, ON., NOK 1W0 e-mail: seaforth@bowesnet.com Wednesday, May 4, 2005 Editorial and Business Offices - 11 Main Street.,Seaiorth Telephone 1519) 527-0240 Fax 1519) 527-2858 Mailing Address - P.O. Box 69, Seaford', Ontario, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association & the Ontario Community Newspapers Association 'We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward our mailing costs.' Canada Editorial Shake a veteran's hand during V.E. Day's 60th anniversary Second World War veterans around the world are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Victory in Europe or V.E. Day and the anniversary of the Liberation of Holland in the upcoming two weeks. Seaforth veterans will be travelling to a church service in Exeter this weekend and to a three-day celebration in Goderich the following weekend. A reread of the May 11, 1945 edition of the Huron Expositor reflects the tremendous joy and excitement the news of victory in Europe brought to town. Main Street businesses closed up shop shortly after the news was received at 3 p.m. that day and two hours later, much of the town flocked into Northside United Church for a service of thanksgiving, an event that was repeated later in the evening at First Presbyterian. A screaming fire siren brought jubilant townsfolk downtown in the evening, where "a few impromptu bonfires were started by exuberant youth." Shops stayed closed the entire next day and a parade was held at 2 p.m., which travelled through many streets of Seaforth, ending up at the cenotaph where a wreath was laid in remembrance of the fallen. Dances and more celebration followed that evening. While the local residents who participated in those celebrations are becoming as rare as the veterans who returned to town following the war, there are still a number of men and women in Seaforth we can thank for their sacrifice during the Second World War. Their stories, which are full of courage and adventure as well as horror and Toss, are worth hearing if you're lucky enough to find a veteran who is willing and able to share them. Watch in next week's Expositor for the faces of Second World War veterans still living in town. And, when you recognize them on the street, stop to shake their hands. They deserve our undying gratitude. Susan Hundertmark How to, access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: seaforth@bowesnet.com All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and content. Don't forget to check out our homepage at: www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com Exsitor John Van Dooren is a Seaforth-area farmer who lives in McKillop with his wife Marian and his dog Buddy. He has four children Mark, 26, Scott, 25, Ryan, 24 and Erin, 19. 1. What was your first job and )?)?Hilo?? what did it pay? Priming tobacco in Langton and it paid $20 per day from 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2. What other jobs have you done? Installing drainage tile, chicken catching. 3. What is the most pleasant thing you do on your present job? Harvesting crops in the fall. 4. Least pleasant? Picking stones. 5. What is your greatest accomplishment? Still farming in Huron East. 6. Where do you go to think? Out in my shop. 7. What do you do to relax? Fishing in summer and archery hunting in the fall. 8. What is your favourite movie? Seabiscuit. 9. Whom would you choose to portray you in a movie? Kelsey Grammar. 10. What is your biggest indulgence? Hunting and fishing gear. 11. What is your favourite thing about living in Huron East? Good neighbours and friendly community. 12. Least favourite? Top many stones. 13. If you could do anything to improve your community, what would it be? Encourage everyone to shop locally. 14. When and where would you like to retire? Probably around Seaforth, not sure when that might be. I still like what 1 do and where we live. 15. Describe your perfect day. Start combining soybeans in the morning, having no breakdowns all day, finishing the field and thinking 1 did a good job. 16. With whom from history would you most like to dine? Any of the explorers - I would like to hear about what the area was like, what they found and how they decided to settle in this area. 17. What is your favourite food? Chicken wings - with or without beer. 18. If you could be a superhero, who would you be? Inspector Gadget 19. What is your greatest fear? That these bad crop prices continue. 20. What is your happiest memory? The births of my four children. Recent installation of the Pope brings back 1978 Rome adventure The Pope was officially installed recently but for me it was more subdued than what happened in 1978 when John Paul I was installed. My companion on the trip to Rome, Frank Drea, who died two years ago, was a member of the Legislature for a dozen years and a cabinet minister for eight. Although.a Protestant, I was awarded the Bene Merenti medal by Pope John Paul II 25 years ago for helping Scarborough foreign mission priests by scrounging surplus supplies from hospitals and schools and companies here in Ontario and shipping it to their parishes in the Caribbean. It was a great honour to be recognized and quite a humbling experience. The following is an account of my Roman conquest of '78. The intercom buzzed. "The Premier wants to see you, Clare, and he said, Wear a tie.— In the 1970s and 1980s, 1 seldom wore a tie in my office, but one always hung behind the door, easy to reach on my way out. "I thought you should wear a tie," Mr. Davis said," as he put a match to his pipe. He stood up and continued, "You are going to have to observe a bit more formality, Clare." And just as 1 thought i was about to be reprimanded for my casual dress, I heard the Premier say, "If you go to Rome next month." It was typical Davis, the dialogue was a bit of theatre he enjoyed - toying with the help. Those words would launch a string of events that rivaled the Keystone Cops. Cardinal Luciani of Venice had been chosen to succeed Pope Paul VI and the outdoor ceremony was to he at St. Peters in Rome. The new pontiff would take the name John Paul I. I was picked to attend as part of the Canadian delegation. Frank Drea, Minister of Correctional Services and I had been picked by Cabinet to represent Ontario. There was no disputing the choice of Frank for he was Catholic. In my case I was never really sure. Maybe it Clare Westcott was the sum of all my deeds for I married a Catholic, was the father of nine kids, delivered bingo tables for the local priest and did volunteer work with the Catholic Fathers from Scarborough Foreign Missions. However, I was a Protestant who celebrated the Battle of The Boyne when I was young, playing the drum in many Orange Lodge parades. Our protocol office began working on the details, we were to fly to Rome from Ottawa with the other members of the Canadian delegation. Our first glitch came as Frank was leaving for his yearly visit to the far north. He had not ordered the proper clothes. Protocol dictated that dress went a bit beyond your run-of-the-mill tuxedo. Although it was a solemn religious ceremony it would have all the trappings of a Coronation or a Presidential Inauguration. Attending would be princes and princesses and other royalty along with prime ministers, presidents and assorted dictators. Not to worry, with the help of Mrs. Drea one of Frank's Sunday suits found its way to Sid Silver and a tailored masterpiece was produced. The second glitch was a bigger one. A call from Ontario protocol chief Walter Borosa advised there had been some kind of screw -up and Frank and i failed to make the roster. Although the names of others from Ontario were on the manifest, ours was not. "But don't worry," Walter said, "I'll sort it out and get back to you." He called later to say the protocol office in Ottawa was told to delete our names from the official delegation. There were still four days before we were to leave. it wouldn't be the end of the world for me as i had seen a lot of Italy over the years. But I didn't take kindly to being zapped from the list by some Ottawa bureaucrat. Ivan Head was a friend and one of the Prime Minister's most trusted aides - so I called him. He felt it was just some minor slip-up and he would sort it out and get back to me. As I came in from lunch the next day my secretary reported that there was a telephone message on my desk from Ivan's office. It read, "Sorry Clare, there is nothing I can do." She did tell my secretary that Jim Coutts in Trudeau's office was responsible for vetting the list and Ivan suggested it was likely he who had us scrubbed. I was a. bit apprehensive about telling Frank that Ottawa decided they were going to Rome without us. I had experienced his Irish temper before and knew he could be a rough and tumble street fighter. When 1 finally located him 1 was surprised - for I thought he would be steaming with anger but he showed a calm resolve for revenge. "We are going to Rome Clare if we have to swim all the way." he said. 1 had already called Tony Santamaura, Koss in the Ontario government office in Milan - an office I had helped set up over a decade earlier. He would arrange hotel reservations and meet us at the airport in Rome. Tony was amused when I told him of our snub by Ottawa and that one way or another we intended to he in St. Peter' s Square for the crowning of John Paul 1. Frank arrived at the airport, we hoarded Alitalia and Tony met us in Rome. We heard from the Quebec delegation that Prime Minister Trudeau was throwing a party at the home of the Canadian Ambassador, which we resolved to crash. Before leaving Toronto, a colleague in the Premier's office gave me the name of the First Secretary in the Canadian Embassy in Rome. That was all we had. But we parlayed it into a bonanza. I called the embassy and he was very obliging, he obviously didn't know that we had been dumped from the official party. When he said, "I'll see you at the Ambassadors residence tonight," I crossed my fingers and lied. I said, "The Minister forgot to bring our invitations." "Don't worry," he reassured me, "Come anyway, I'll leave word at the gate to let you in." In the meantime, resourceful Tony Santamaura had rented a black Fiat limo. It was all shined up and reeked of class. The reception was an outside affair on the spacious grounds. The first familiar thing I spotted was the big Stetson on top of the Minister of Agriculture, Eugene Whelan. Frank was in his glory - as was I. Free drinks and revenge. But, we left early to work out how we could crash tomorrow's gala. The new Pope was to be installed outside on the large landing at the top of the white stone steps leading up to St. Peter's in front of the massive front doors. A throne -type structure was built facing St. Peter's Square where thousands would be sitting and standing to watch the ceremony. The Cardinals with their high pointed hats were to sit in two long rows on each side of the throne running from the wall of St. Peter's to the front edge of the landing. V.I.P.s from most countries in the world were behind the two rows of Cardinals. Prime Minister Trudeau was seated in row 17. The plan Frank and i came up with was both cunning and devious. It had to be good as security was tight. Our guide, mentor, chauffeur and fellow conspirator, Tony Santamaura had great credentials. in an earlier life he was executive assistant in Rome to exiled King Farouk of Egypt and his father had been Chief of Police in Sicily. See HOW, Page 5 Ron & ®ave Steady as she goes sailor.... These are uncharted waters ji3il HARD ASTARBOARb1 THERE BE ROCKS AHEAbI OH NOI WE'RE GOING TO HIT (THEM! by bavid Lacey T Well, I'm gonna Okay, now what do we do? walk home, but, aren't you supposed to go down with r ship?