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Clinton News-Record, 1985-2-20, Page 21CI: Page 18—CLINTON NEWS RECORD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 1985 Proram helps ticchildren in the co amunity. protect .S•,i'�...'v:W:4 !. i .: ;t`^;t',Mt,+'C{ r•,.,rr,, 'S rev rvw `i P•M.,.. I'^� 'n §7;7.vw2` r'Ri1�+ ^.PA.�`a1Si1 h �Y1: 1: y Aims Neirelho �B CLINTON - Block Parent sign in a win- dow says "this is a community that cares for its children." The community cares enough to help children when they are lost or being harassed, and the sign tells the children that an adult is ready to lend a help- ing hand. In Clinton there are 54 windows displaying the red and white sign which pictures a child holding an adult's hand. The number has declined from the original 75 members at the beginning of the program in 1978. The program was started by Rita Powell, Ralph and Pat Holland and Dianne McKay. For the past few years, Mrs. McKay has had sole responsibility of the program. Last fall she said, "'I'd hate to see it go ander, that's why I've hung on this long." But on Jan. 1, the Zeta Omega Chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority officially took over. "Dianne was going to quit so we're taking over the existing program and trying to recruit new members," explained Anne Lavis, the new chairperson for the Block Parent program. "It should be easier for us because we can get members from our own group (the sorority), plus the work can be divided instead of having one person looking after everything." Mrs. Lavis also said that Mrs. McKay left the program in good shape, giving all the Block Parents new signs, and the sorority has contacted all 54 participants to give them their new contact person and to inform them of the change. The community is very careful as to who becomes a Block Parent, ensuring the safe- ty of the children. "Those interested in becoming a Block Parent must fill out an application and sub- mit it to the Clinton Police and get their ap- proval," said Mrs. Lavis who explained that the police have a map of where every Block Parent's home is located and a list of their names. Once a person has been approved, they will receive a sign which is to be placed in a window so that it can be seen from the street. It is important not to place the sign in a place where it is accessible to people walk - Gail Sinclair, a inetuber of the Zeta Omega Chapter of the Clinton Beta Sigma Phi Sorori- ing by. One such place would be a screen . ty, is also a Block 'Parent. Mrs. Sinclair and the other members of the sorority took over door or garage door. the Clinton LI, el 'arent program at the beginning of the year. ( Anne Narejko photo) If the Block Parent is not going to be Students at Central Huron Secondary School warmed -up their goalie before the teachers took to the ice on Feb. 13. However, it was the teachers' team that came out on the winn- ing end of the 3-1 score. The student -teacher hockey game was held as part of the winter. carnival festivities at CHSS. ( Anne Narejko photo) Overall budge • BY STEPHANIE LEVESQUE Although the Ausable-Bayfield Con- servation Authority's overall budget is down this year, its member municipalities • will pay seven per cent more on average. The authority approved a $1.3 million budget for 1985, down from a $1.4 million. budget because no capital projects are plan- ned for this year. The 32 municipalities in the Ausable- Bayfield watershed will share in the $158,500 to be raised locally compared to $148,135 for last year. The 1985 municipal levy has been reduced by $15,520 which was. taken from a storeho.use of $168,259 in working capital reserves. The municipalities' share is about 10 per Pi cent of the authority's entire budget. 'The largest part of the budget is water and related .land management. This involves dam maintenance, conservation • and surveys and studies. Water and related land management budget totals $500,650 or almost half the en- tire budget. This is down from the $648.187 spent last year. The administration of the water and related land management is expected to cost $218,950. Maintenance of dams will cost the authority $56,200 this year. Conservation services, • particularly reforestation and erosion control, is where the authority is putting its main emphasis this year. Tree planting on authority. private and municipal land as well as a windbreak pro- gram is expected to cost 8142,500. This is down from reforestation costs last year of $165.000. t isdown The authority has put $15,000 in its 1985 budget for erosion control assistance; down from $22,378 last year. The other major expense under water and related -land management is for surveys and studies.. Rural floodline mapping for the. Townships of Bosanquet, Stephen and McGillivray is budgeted.at $50,000. A study of the Zurich- drain is expected to cost the authority $8,000 and public information mapping of i,ucan, Crediton and the Walker Drain has been budgeted at $5,000. • Overall authority administration has been budgeted at $300,975. ' Improvements to the Port Franks cottage Tuts are expected to rust $137;000. This cost is being paid for from.nlunc'y received last year from the sale -of Slane fort Franks cot- tages. The authority has expected to make about $210,000 last year from the sale of cot-' tages in that arca hut made $458,510. Employment programs. offset by federal and provincial grants have been budgeted at $119,700. The rnalority of the ('ost to run the authori- ty is piyy'ked up by the ministry of natural resourcl's. ARCA will be asking for $580,032 this year, down from $682,135 in 1984. Ministry representative Roger Martin Of London told the annual meeting not to ex- pect an increase In provincial money this year. lJser fees - paid at the conservation areas - are expected to total $223,308 this year. The authority also hopes to make over $66,000 from. selling trees and make another $137,000 from selling cottages at Port • Franks. New Authority chairman BY STEPHANIE i.EVESSQI.'F; Gordon .Johnson of Woodham is the new chairman of the Ausable-Rayfield ('on - servation Authority. Representing Blanshard Township on the authority, Mr. -Johnson takes over from ,John Tinney of Hay Township who has been chairman for the past three years. Mr. .Johnson was named at the authority's an- nual meeting Feb..15. Mr. Tinny is serving his 19th year on the authority. Serving with Mr. vice- ,.l,.airman DoJohnson n' 1;ithgowof i1Bosanquet Township. Clarence Rau of Stanley Township was named chairman Of the conservation land management advisory hoard with Earle Rees of Ailsa Craig as vire-chairman. (3d! • Thirwall of hobo Township was renamed .chairman of the water manage- ment advisory board and Cecil Desjardin of Stephen Township is vice-chairman. Fred Lewis of London Township will con- tinue as chairman of the personnel and finance advisory board. Wilson Hodgins of Riddulph Township is vice-chairman. home, the sign should be taken out of tine window, and if they move, the sign must be returned to the organizers. Block Parent (lades The aim of the Block Parent program is to protect children going to and from school, but members are asked to keep the signs up in the summer months as well. Officially, Block Parents have no more authority then any other citizen.According to the Block Parent brochure, a member of the program is required to stay alert and available to respond by contacting the. parents of a child or the proper authorities. They are not to administer first aid, pro- vide food, beverages, medicine, washroom facilities or transportation. Origins In the early 1970s Block Parent groups sprung up across southern Ontario. Now the program is in every province and both ter- ritories. The last count showed that there were more than half a million Block Parent volunteers in 900 communities across Canada. The Block Parent program has proven to be a crime deterrent. After the program was established, the number of child molestings, robberies and acts of vandalism declined in communities which had found the crimes a problem. For example, Chateauguay, Quebec found that vandalism and burglaries dropped 50 per cent. In Sar- nia the attempted child abductions declined from 45 in 1970 to three in 1976. These figures prove that the programs attempt at building closer -knit communities through co- operation between parents and police by establishing safer routes to and from school, is working. Educate children The program is not strictly having a volunteer available for children, but has recently expanded to ed-ucate the children on "safe and unsafe" strangers. The methods used include films, board games and classroom displays. Mrs. Laois and the other members of the sorority view- ed a film and a video which Ruth Linton, a public health nurse, showed at one of their meetings. Mrs. Lavis sees that the films could be beneficial and is hoping to get some infor- mation on what is available to make the children in Clinton aware of potential dangers. Children generally think that a bad person is poorly dressed, scarey looking and car- ries a knife when he chases children. This theory was proven when a classroom of children in Toronto were shown slides of a clean-cut man dressed in a three piece suilk and a dirty, unshaven man. Each man hdlir one hand behind his back. The children were asked what they thought each man was con- cealing. All of the children thought that the clean-cut man was holding something harmless while the other man was not as in- nocent. Other programs are also being set up. Safe Arrival and Fan Out Alert deal with missing children. Safe Arrival is an absentee check involv- ing the schools and parents and attempts to prevent any delay if a child is missing. Many times a child will disappear in the morning and no one will know until the even- ing because the teachers think the child is at home and the parents think the child is at school. At the beginning of the school year, notices are sent to parents asking them to leave a phone number where they can be reached in case of an emergency. If the child is going to be absent, the parent is ask- ed to phone the school. If no phone call has been received by the school, and the child is absent, the school will phone the parent. Fan Out Alert is used if a child is missing or a suspicious person is seen in the area. Local police activate the system by phoning the Block Parent area chairperson who then sets up a chain of calls to other Bloc. Parents. ' Mrs. Lavis is aware of a convention in Sarnia during fylay which explains the details of the Fan Out Alert program and is looking into attending. She is also trying to build up the number of Block Parents in Clinton by recruiting some parents at the local schools. Hopefully the fact that 1985 is International. Youth Year will help the sorority in their work to ensure children's continued safety in Clinton. Early Files Telephone trunk line for Holmesville 100 years ago - February 11, 1885 It is likely that Holmesville will be con- nected with the Bell Telephone Trunk line and the residents of this "Burg" will soon be able to say "hello" to their friends in the "Hub." As there is no telegraph office at this point, it will be a great convenience to the residents in the locality. The central of- fice will probably:be managed by Mr. Duff, post master. ' It is now charged that women placed the infernal machines which blew up the parlia- ment buildings. Women do a great deal of the blowing up in this world. And behold it cometh to pass that the se- cond day of February, anno domini 1885, was the day on which the bear, so legend hath it, Waketh up in hisdarksome cave, wipeth the soot out of his eyes with his paws, yawneth, . stretcheth his limbs, ariseth, walketh out of his cave, lookth about for his shadow, returneth to to his cave if he findeth this shadow and decideth that the end of winter doth yet be six weeks in the future. or, if he findeth not his shadow, there being no sun visible, remaineth out, satisfieth himself that the reign of frost is o'er, and in- structeth Mrs. Bruin to prepare for her spr- ing house cleaning. And it came to pass that a bear.in the township of Hullett, which was an early riser and caught the early worm, walked out of his cave in the morning at an early hour and, seeing the shadow of himself, returned him 'to his lowly couch, pulled the bedclothes about his form and told the hired man to call him six weeks hence. 75 years ago - February 10, 1910 • A couple of tramps made themselves con- spicuous on the streets on Tuesday' and the Chief and Sergeant ran them into the cooler. One was a foul-mouthed ruffian who was given 30 days in gaol, but his milder mate was allowed to disappear. For bipeds of the foul-mouthed ruffian class incarcera- tion in the county's comfortable house of detention is no adequate punishment whatever. There should be a hard -labor at reduced rations place for such itinerant in- corrigibles, who are a constant menace to society. Mr. E.J. Johnson is making dog muzzles and is endeavouring to keep up with the de- mand. Jas. Steep, Geo. Trowhill and Ted Saville are assisting him. 50 years ago - February 14, 1935 The Canadian Cow Boys of London played for a dance in Watson's Hall in Kippen on Tuesday and, had a nice crowd andthe music was very fine. The new chief of police . goes on duty tonight. Chief L. Strong finished up his term this evening. He has held the position for 12 years, having taken over the post in• Feb. 1923, and he has filled it with dignity and satisfaction. Chief Strong's cheery greeting will be missed by many a citizen as he comes up town of a morning, he was looked upon as a friend and neighbor and a man to rely on when needed. . 25 years ago - February 11, 1960 Because their school is 100 years old this year, School Section 3, Stanley Township, will hold a centennial celebration in June to New Clinton 4-H Club forms f CLINTON-On Feb. 13 the first meeting of the Clinton III 4-H Club was held at Mrs. Walker's home. Eight members attended this meeting. • The topic of this 4-1-1 club is Actionwear. The members will learn to sew some pieces of clothing such as a T-shirt or jogging suits. The first order of business was to elect the DRYSDALE MAJOR APPLIANCE CENTRE LTD. SALES WITH SERVICE. "The Place to Buy Appliances" NEW AND USED HENSALL 262-2728 CLOSED MONDAYS BEST INTEREST 1 1 1/2 Guaranteed Investment Certificates BEST RATE - Agents for R.R.S.P. 116 Gaiser-Kneale Insurance Brokers Inc. GRAND BEND GODERICH 'Subject to change 238-8484 EXETER 235-2420 524-2118 CLINTON 4829747 execw,ive. riebiueui - Lori dcw(b6; vice - Jennifer Tremeer; Secretary - Rhonda Wright and Press Reporter - Jennifer Jewitt. Next, members discussed the club name. They decided on the Knit -Wits. At the end of the meeting Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Sander - cock passed out Valentine cookies. - by Jen- nifer Jewitt. yep roue MONEY! Of course you want to keep more of the money you work hard for And you could—if you let H&R Block prepare your tax return As a matter of fact, in a recent survey, 2 out of 3 HSR Block customers Who ggtrefunds believed they 94t bigger refunds than if they did .their Own taxes. HSR Block helps you get every possible deduction, exemption and credit you're entitled to Call your near- est HSR Block office today We could help you keep moraof your hard-earned money 1t pays to be prepared Ly H&R BLOCK THE iNCOME TAX SPECiAUSTS CLINTON 5 Ontario St., Clinton, Ont. 482-7541 mark the occasion. '. Interest' in the • establishment of a technical school in' Clinton to serve Huron County and surrounding areas, was in- dicated last night at theboard meeting of Clinton Collegiate Institute. The $328,000 addition to CDCI now in pro- gress of building will attend to the needs of an enrolment of about 720 students. There are 493 on toll at the present time and vice principal D. John Cochrane expects that this September 200 new pupils in Grade 9 will swell the enrolment to over 600. It was felt that providing the technical training and CDCI would be a.solution both to the overcrowding situation existing here and in neighboring secondary school areas. lo years ago - February 13, 1975 Ontario Health Minister Frank Miller said in Clinton last Friday night that no hospitals in Huron County, including Clinton's would be closed as a result of the controversial Mustard report on health. Mr. Miller said that that Mustard report was prepared to stimulate discussion, and it was never the government's intention to implement it. He said there had to be some changes in ' health care because of soaring costs. Now health care josts about $3 million a year in Ontario, arid Mr. Miller said if the costs weren't checked, they could escalate to near $11 billion by 1984. The government recovers about $560 million yearly, or about 23 per cent, through OHIP payments. Mr. Miller said that hospitals wouldn't b closed, but we would be, "changing what you do in the hospitals." He said that any changes would be very slow. i Ramona's Back! Ramona Humphrey is back styling hair, at'the Hair Shop. Make arq appointment with Ramona on Monday,- Tuesday, 'Wednesday, Friday or Saturday, or with stylist Janice Stauttener Thursdays, Fridays . or Saturdays. Ask about our SPECIAL DISCOUNTS for students and senior citizens. the I/tII2 SI l[ "the friendly Shop that cares" CORNER OF GIBBINGS AND RATTENBURY STREETS, CLINTON PHONE FOR APPOINTMENT 487-7047 OOEN: Monday.rrlday and Saturday fill 4 p.m.; plus Tuesday and Thursday n stomps.