Huron Expositor, 2017-03-08, Page 22 Huron Expositor • Wednesday. March 8, 2017
Seaforth church group
head to Colombia to
help children's home
Shaun Gregory
Huron Expositor
In Leticia, Colombia the youth call
him Gerry or sometimes even refer to
the humanitarian as "loco Gringo," a
term implying in a joking manner that
he's a crazy white man.
Though Gerrid Dalton's mind frame
is sane, when he travels overseas repre-
senting the Bethel Bible Church, his
vision is transparent. He said his only
initiative is to help the children in need.
With back and forth travels to Mexico
and Colombia, the 31 -year-old from
Seaforth has been part of the Mission
Trip offered by the church for the last
seven some on years.
Usually the program is split up and
the volunteers go to both countries, this
year Colombia is the lone destination
due to an illness in one of their main
organizers.
Dalton is assured Mexico will be
available for service the following year.
The group of eight, with six members
of BBC has arranged to travel the coun-
try bordering Brazil from March 17-27.
The group is responsible for con-
struction projects, conducting bible
studies and generally looking after a
home they helped create in the previ-
ous year's travel.
Thanks to Facebook, Dalton has been
in contact with some of the older youth
in the domicile, so he said they are
patiently awaiting his return.
The children's home is called "La
Aljaba," which Dalton says means the
Quiver in English.
Being a father of four, Dalton said in
terms of its atmosphere, the name goes
hand-in-hand. Supporting those reali-
ties, he's witnessed an array of poverty
in the home. It's an emotional experi-
ence he said and this helps his family
cherish the life they have in Canada.
"It's a home for children, some are
orphans, some parents are in jail, drug
addicts or alcoholics," stated Dalton
March 1 in a phone conversation relat-
ing to Colombia, which is believed to be
the world's leading cocaine producer.
"They are not all orphans, some of their
parents just can't take care of them.
Roughly 30 kids live there perma-
nently with another 40 "day trippers" in
the morning and an additional 40 in the
afternoon to share the space for a cou-
ple of meals to calm their growling
stomachs.
Located next to the Amazon River,
Dalton said their diets mostly Consist of
fish, rice and plantains.
This time around, his wife will
accompany Dalton; he said he has
explained to his young children the
importance of this trip. He said they
would join the venture in the future
when they are of age.
"You couldn't think of treating your
kids the way these kids are treated
because children are a blessing," he
said.
seaforthhuronexpositor.com
ATTENTION
ADVERTISERS!
DEADLINES
uiiiwiunrniiuu i 111 u 11
•
Duii r IteklDead'i Iat arkW111 I
ego Eng
A DVERTIS NG &.EDITORIA
•
{
0
r N
pm
irWHET HOURS
.:_ :' . - .-- - aM1,11 is ill
onyFfi:�9aaml- Spm
I
�;",• ._CLOSED T ES.
: II.
•
sea►ath
IliEron Expositor
••• ._
•
44,
•
53 Albert St., Clinton
PH: 519-527-3443 ext. 527306
www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com
Shaun Gregory
At the first CrossFit Open last year in Seaforth, Keri -Ann Schedewitz rises above the bar during a set of chest-
to-bar
hestto-bar pull-ups.
The sweat begins in Seaforth
Shaun Gregory
Huron Expositor
The sound of heavy breath-
ing and screams of motivation
resonate in the gym, the fitness
enthusiasts are drenched in
perspiration from head to toe
and it's only the first week of
the Degree CrossFit Seaforth
2nd Annual Intramural Open.
The Open launched Feb. 23
and has seen hundreds of
thousands of competitors
unite all around the world at
their respective fitness facili-
ties most with the intention of
pushing their bodies to the
boundaries of failure.
At Degree CrossFit they are
concentrating more so on per-
sonal bests rather than the no
pain, no gain catchphrase.
There are heaps of high fives
and praises said owner of
Degree CrossFit Sea -
forth, Kaleda Connell March 1,
this is her fourth year compet-
ing in the exhausting
challenge.
"It's not something that
someone can just walk in the
gym and think that they are in
good (enough) shape to get to
the Regionals or the Games,"
she said. "Those people are
very competitive and they just
don't train an hour a day, they
train hours a day putting them-
selves through an incredible
amount of training.
Connell considers the
demographic in the Seaforth
establishment as "non-com-
petitive," however she men-
tioned that if any person at the
gym craves a taste to move to
the next level, she'd be more
than willing to help them
achieve the feat.
For those not contending by
the rubrics, this year will be
more of a user-friendly clash,
meaning people are not
required to register or imple-
ment the exact arranged
weights or workouts. "We just
kind of have fun with it."
Throughout the year some of
the users from Degree are sent
to weight competitions, but
there is not anything quite like
this event. Connell told one of
her members last week that this
was the Christmas of the Cross -
Fit world.
Athletes participating have
four days to complete each one
of the five workouts; anyone
aged 14 years and older can par-
take in the Open.
After the tournament con-
cludes Degree CrossFit Sea -
forth will have a bonus tourna-
ment. The previous year
welcomed a sociable game of
road hockey.
For the prosperous athletes
who move forward and make it
to the 2017 Reebok CrossFit
Games, they will take place at
the Alliant Energy Center in
Madison, Wisconsin.
Currently members of Degree
CrossFit are entering the second
series of the open labelled 17.2.
In 2016 about 75 "Degree family
members" participated and
Connell says this year's event is
shaping to attract the same
numbers. The Open ends March
27.
"We are there to support one
another and be better than we
were yesterday," Connell
stated.