Lakeshore Advance, 2012-11-07, Page 20Commuolty
Wednesday, November 30, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 5
,. 1.
Grade ten get ready Hardeman brings back CO bill
for Literacy test
•akestIore Advance
This past week at St, Anne's Catholic Secondary School
celebrated student success in many ways. On Monday,
November 21", midterm report cards were distributed to
each student which highlights their academic achievements.
Grade ten students continue to prepare for the Ontario
Secondary School Literacy Test which will take place later
this year.
This week, a senior history class travelled to the Royal
Ontario Museum in Toronto to visit special exhibits and
interesting artifacts, The Boys' Hockey team played in
Stratford, The Curling team's first bonspiel was in Stratford
and the Swimming team continues to practice for their
upcoming meet.
On Wednesday, November 23, students assembled in the
m to view a special presentation that is offered by MADD
(Mother's Against Drunk Driving) every year to educate
young people and teens about the harmful effects of impaired
driving. The video presentation was emotionally charged and
described real-life stories from people who have been
personally affected by impaired driving. St. Anne's is devoted
to educating students on this matter and preventing impaired
driving in our community. We'd like to offer a special thanks
to the OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving)
group at our school, lend by Mr. Romijn.
God Squad has launched its annual Advent Campaign.
Classes are encouraged to support a Huron County family by
bringing in clothes, toys and treats so that all local families
can enjoy a bright Christmas,
The evening of November 24'" at St. Anne's was quite
special, as the Students for Social Justice group along with the
help of staff advisors organized "a Fair Christmas", inviting
Ten Thousand Villages to come and offer a variety of fair-
trade products and gifts. These products are created by peo-
ple living in the global south and specifically geared towards
Christmas shoppers, who can be assured that they are sup-
porting our friends in other countries by buying their goods.
The Me to We group continues to prepare for African
Culture Night which takes place on December 8'h at the
school. 'Ihe evening will celebrate Agriculture in both rural
Ontario and Kenya. Guests will be treated to the culture
around agriculture with I luron County Fiddlers and (:loggers
performing in addition to African Drummers and Dancers. A
traditional African meal will be served. Please call the school
for tickets at 519-482-5454.
letters to the editor
Take some pride, says reader
Dear Editor,
I sere we go again. After a beautiful summer and a
beautiful down town street scape in the Bend we are again
faced with the shanty town look of well worn plywood
covering the shop windows. I can understand that shop
owners want to protect their investment, but the vandals left
town after Labour Day. l have never seen any vandalism in
winter time. So what's the worry? But if they feel that their
shops should be boarded up do it nicely, maybe have an
artist paint a beach scene on their boarded up shops.
Jim Mann
Grand Bend
QMI Agency
Lakeshore Advance
WOODS'TOCK - Oxford MPP Ernie
Ilardenlan is preparing to reintroduce
the Hawkins-Gignac Act - his private
member's bill requiring all Ontario
homes to have functioning carbon
monoxide detectors.
"I'm sure it will pass second reading
but we might run into the same problem
to get it to third," I lardeman said.
I lardeman expects to reintroduce the
bill within the next few weeks.
The veteran MPP said this time
around the hill has a better chance
because of the election results in
October. Because the liberals finished
in a minority position, consideration for
private member's bills for all parties will
be almost equal.
The Hawkins-Gignac Act was first
introduced in December 2008 following
the tragic deaths of the Hawkins family
in their Woodstock home.
Carbon monoxide poisoning killed
the family - Oxford ()PP Const.
Laurie Hawkins, her husband Richard
Hawkins and their two children,
Cassandra and Jordan - after a carbon
buildup in the pipe of a gas fireplace
caused a leak in their Chippewa Avenue
home.
'Ihe Hawkins did not have a function-
ing CO detector.
Hardeman has introduced the bill
twice before. Both tinges it died on the
table during its third reading because
the government prorogued parliament.
The current Ontario building code
requires carbon monoxide detectors in
homes built after August 2001, but there
is no legislation that mandates these
units in homes constructed before this
date, According to the Canadian Safety
Council, carbon monoxide is the leading
cause of fatal poisonings in North Amer-
ica. The detectors are crucial to safety
because the gas is colourless, odourless
and has no discernible taste.
Between 2000 and 2007, for example,
an estimated 414 Canadian died from
CO poisoning.
OLG Clinton does their part for Goderich relief
QMI Agency
Lakeshore Advance
When the true picture of the devasta-
tion caused by the August 21st tornado in
Goderich came to light, the staff at OLG
Slots ut Clinton Raceway sprung into
action. 'lhey knew right away they had to
help the residents in their neighbouring
community.
What started as an employee fundrais-
ing idea at OLG Slots at Clinton Raceway,
quickly spread and was embraced across
all 22 OLG gaming sites and corporate
offices. The idea was called "leans Day
for Goderich" in which employees could
wear jeans at work for a small donation.
The "Jeans Day" campaign ran for six
weeks. When all the donations were
added up, the total reached $36,022.91. A
cheque for that amount was presented
today to Tom Jasper, a member of the
Goderich and Area Disaster Relief Com-
mittee, during a ceremony at OLG Slots
at Clinton Raceway.
"On behalf of the people of Goderich, 1
want to thank all OLG employees for
their kindness and generosity during this
challenging time for our community,"
said Mr. Jasper. "'This money will greatly
help, as we continue to rebuild our
town"
As part of the Disaster Relief effort, the
province has committed to a 2 for 1
match of all donations. 'That means, the
$36,022.91 donated from OLG employ-
ees, is matched and doubled by the
province to become $72.045,82, bringing
the total donation to $108,068.73.
"Once again this shows how commit-
ted OLG employees are in supporting
their local communities especially when
a crisis hits, " said 'Tammy Dowdall,
General Manager at OLG Slots at Clinton
Raceway.
Donations from the public can con-
tinue to be made to the Disaster Relief
Dual through the 'limn of Goderich and
at any chartered bank in Ontario.
O1.G is a provincial agency responsible
for province -wide lottery games and
ganging facilities. Since 1975, OLG lotter-
ies, Casinos, Slots, and Resort Casinos
have generated more than $34 billion for
the benefit of the Province of Ontario.
Gaming proceeds support Ontario's hos-
pitals, amateur sport, recreational and
cultural activities, communities, provin-
cial priority programs such as health care
and education, and local and provincial
charities and non-profit organizations
through the Ontario Trillium
Foundation.
South Huron Hospital: Tradition of Caring
Joe Wooden
Special to the Lakeshore Advance
Carling estate became available as a possible location.
Controversy followed that option as well as the architect
and the contractor advised that it would be too costly to
Like most small towns in Ontario, Exeter had no hospital covert a residence into a hospital, and approvals, including
until the early 1950's. Before that, there were up to ten that of the Provincial Department of Health, would probably
doctors practicing in town, some ofwhom operated private be almost impossible to secure. Nevertheless, the
'hospitals' attached to their offices. After World War 11 and Committee persevered and purchased the property (almost
the advances of technology►, many of these small towns a full block) for $16,500. Construction started within a year.
clamoured for their own public hospitals. For those living In spite of legitimate concerns of the Department of
in Exeter and the surrounding area, the trip to London for Health's view as to how the project should be managed, all
hospital services was a real hardship. approvals were granted, and the hospital opened its doors
The Exeter Lions Club was the force that created the hos- on January 29" and 30th 1953.
pital. In 1949, the South Huron Hospital Association Com- The opening that winter was the reward of six years of
mittee was formed with Elmer Bell as Chairman. The next fund-raising, applications to foundations, appeals to all
year, the Town Council offered the Committee property in three levels of government and the generosity of individual
Riverview Park as a choice site, but the public thought donors. When the dust settled, the 25 -bed South Huron
otherwise and demanded that the Park be preserved as it Hospital was built for about $275,000.
was. Council back -tracked and rescinded its motion to Joe Wooden Is a local historian and uwriter. Ilis column
donate this she. Nothing happened until 1951 when the will appear thmughout the year