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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-05-27, Page 1i3oard needs $250,000 for "Your care is our care. It's critical." That will be the slogan this sununer and fall as a community fund-raising program is Tlaune al to collect $250,000 from the people of Goderich and area to build a new critical care area at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. The board of governors at AM&G gave its unanimous approval Monday evening to the project as outlined by board member Bob Dempsey in a well prepared brief. Plans now call for an all-out campaign for funds during the month of October. Estimated cost of the total package is $495,000. It includes four critical care area beds in a new modern and fully equipped facility over the existing laundry addition at the north side, of the hospital. It also provides mucneeded additional space for chronic and active care and improved day care and physiotherapy facilities. The board has agreed to finance this addition to the tune of $250,000 from hospital funding resources. No direct provincial funding is expected for the project. It was explained that if the hospital board applied for the normal 66 percent funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health, it would be five year or more before approval was given. "This action must be considered not much better than taking no action at all with respect to improving critical care in the near future," said boardmember Dempsey. "The steering committee. for the project feels we woukl be shirking our reepotnsibility by going this route." To begin the project and seek provincial funding at a later date is also "pie in the sky" according to Dempsey. Other alternatives were considered, including a suggestion to upgrade exisiting critical care 1 new c itieai care area • facilities. Dempsey said this option was at very best, a short-term solution to a pressing and growing need. t erripseyfataid the committee has been encouraged by some very positive reactions an the part of some citizens, a few of whom have indicated they are ready to make generous commitments. The board also agreed to immediately retain an architect to proceed with the preparations of tender documents for the critical care area expansion. Construction will commence early in 1982. The board authorized $5,000 be forwarded to the steering committee to initiate a fundraising campaign. :....._ M well, the board unanimously appointed Bob, Dempsey to act as chairman of the fund-raising committee. Dempsey said the steering committee will meet soon now to set up fund raising committees. A detailed plan presented to Monday's meeting showed the structure of the sub -committees to be named from the community at large. They-hieludene public campaign auls-cominitiee, a business, industrial and individual large gifts sub- committee ubcormnittee and a service club, foundations and goyernment campaign subcommittee. Plans also call for a public relations and publicity sub -committee and a finance and audit sub committee. Neither of these committees will have direct fund raising duties. The steering committee has also recommended an executive director be sought from the community to devote fulltime to co-ordinating the campaign for funds. Members of the steering committee include Bob Dempsey, Jo Berry, Anna Melski, Gerry Ginn, Dr. James Rourke, Isobel Sully, Craig Cass, R.G.Shrler, Jean Adams, Iain Bain, Case Vanden Heuvel, McNeil, Elmer Taylor, Gordon Crabb and Gerry Zurbrigg. 133 , Y—EAR-21 WEDNESDAY, 'MAY 27. 1981 '5a CE4C'TS PZ COPY Dearborn in line for ODC guarantees `Fne Ontario -Development Corporation -recently approved loans and guarantees totalling over $1 million to a ,group of five businesses in Western Ontario that included a Goderich firm. Larry Grossman, Minister of Industry and Tourism, announced that Dearborn Steel Products Inc. of Goderich will receive a $200,000 incentive loan and a $250,000 guarantee to reopen the plant for the manufacture of automotive tailpipes and exhaust systems. The company is now under the direction of E.Cayley Hill, who is principal owner of the company that purchased assets of the company this year. Dearborn Steel Tubing and Manufacturing Conk pany Ltd. went into receivership last December and the assets were subsequently tendered for sale. The assistance to the five firms from the Ontario Development Corporation will contribute to capital expansion and create 256 new jobs within the next five years Grossman said. a Health care costs you $667 a year It may be a kit of trivia, but it could help Goderich and area citizens get things in perspective. At Monday evening's board meeting at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Bruce Potter reported that at a recent hospital conference he'd attended, he learned that health care costs 15.25 million dollars per day in Ontario. That's $687 a year for every man, woman and child in the province. According to Ontario Health Minister Dennis Timbrell, if every hospital teas one-half of one per- cent over budget this year, it would cost roughly one- quarter of a billion dollars extra. And you think you've got problems making ends meet. INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR Doak at home Star editor Dave Sykes interview's Goderich native Gary Doak on page IA. Doak is home for holidays after the NHL hockey season during which he hung up his skates and put on a suit to patrol behind the team's bench as assistant coach. Minds at play What do you get when you take a few dozen imaginative children, give them some paint and paper, and put them under the able eye_of artist Mona Mulhern? See page 1A for Cath Wooden's photos and story to find out. Car rally on weekend. Car rally enthusiasts should know that this weekend in Goderich, the sailing club will be hosting the town's first open car rally to cars and trucks. Read more about the event of pagel2. Regular Features i'. Tid Bites Pg. 2 Sports Pg. 10-12 Newborns. Pg. 2 Classified Pg. 13-15 Editorials Pg. 4 Raaf Estate.. Pg. 10, 17 Cntumna Pg. 4 Jottings Pg. 4A Obits Pg.7 8. Bard Pg. 7A Parra pg..$ Church Pg. 11A theta ) tyii!rt1 :.r,ulur Mrs. Elizabeth Plante of SL Peters Roman Catholic CWL celebrated its 60th anniversary and Mrs. Plante Church Cathloic Women's League was presented with has been an active member of th organization since a commemorative scroll by Diocesan president, Rita its inception in 1921. ( Photo by Dave Sykes) Ouellette at a special dinner Friday. The St. Peters Clinton Hospital may get daily psychiatric service The board of Alexandra Marine and General Hospital voted Monday evening to consult the board of Clinton Public Hospital concerning the establish- ment of a daily psychiatric out-patient service there as soon as possible. AM&G was given the mandate to provide psychiatric out-patient services throughout Huron County several years ago when the Goderich Psychiatric Hospital was closed. For the past four years, the Goderich psychiatric department under the direction of Dr. Michael Conlon, has been successfully providing out-patient services in Wingham. It has always been the intention of the Ontario Ministry of Health to provide additional mental health care facilities in Huron County under the umbrella of the Goderich psychiatric department as monies became available. In recent weeks, the Ministry has made additional funding available for immediate expansion. After a study of the needs and the available facilities in Clinton and Seaforth, Dr. Conlon recommended to the board that expansion be first offered through Clinton Public Hospital. Dr. Conlon said excellent facilities would be im- mediately available in the former nurses' residence Opposite Clinton hospital. Hospital administrator Elmer Taylor said if the board at AM&C approved the expansion in Clinton, negotiations would begin with the Clinton hospital board for reasonable rents at the Clinton site. Board member Bob Dempsey suggested the Seaforth area would be a more ideal lineation for psychiatric expansion since Clinton patients could be easily dispersed to Wngham, Goderich or Seaforth for treatment. Dr. Conlon reasoned that while the Seaforth Location had advantages and would be considered for future expansion, there was no adequate facility immediately available in Seaforth as there was nn Clinton. . He admitted that Seaforth Community Hospital was vitally interested in psychiatric services and that the situation there would be reviewed' upon com- pletion of an addition at the Seaforth Hospital. Population -wise, Dr. Conlon continued, the Clinton location would need to operate daily while estimated requirements in Seaforth indicated only two days per week. Turn to page 3 Visitors can just call a cab There will be no free rides for,visiting boaters and tourists this summer as a special committee has decided to discontinue the courtesy car service. For several summers the town of Goderich has had free use of an automobile which it used as a courtesy car, offering visiting boaters free rides from the marina into town. Local' tat companies complained that the service was robbing Local companies of business during the summer, a normally slow period. Taxi officials asked the town to either discontinue the courtesy service or at least subsidize cab rates for such fares. Last week a special sub -committee of the tourist committee, consisting of Jean Adams, Doug Bundy and Bill Finnie, recommended the service be discontinued this summer. "We thought the idea was sound but we didn't want to take customers away from the taxi business," Bundy explained. "We talked to the taxi companies and got their input and any future decisions on the courtesy car will be made with the companies." Bundy said the committee wanted a decision that would be fair to the taxi business and at least for this summer, the decision was to abandon a free ride service. The committee has not ruled out subsidizing cab fares for visitors but that will wait for another year. Over 60 young people rolled around the arena floor for 10 hours Saturday to .raise money for the Goderich Ringette Association and a new sound system for the arena. line skaters praised $2,222 in the one -day ev t(P> tebyDaveBy est Rotary club relies on you to make auction a success BY JOANNE BUCHANAN The Goderich Rotary Club will undertake one of its biggest projects ever when it stages its first annual charity auction sale at Saltford Valley Hall on Saturday, June 13. Every cent raised at the auction will be given over to community service work and various charities. Jack Riddell, M.P.P. for Huron -Middlesex will be the guest auctioneer. The club is relying on the citizens Of Goderich and area to make its latest project a success, both by attending the auction and by donating or consigning items for sale. If you wish to donate anything, contact donation chairman Craig Cam at 524-260 or George Chapman in Bayfield at 565-2967. Items, large or small, will be picked up by Rotary Club members. Cass says a 'fair amount' of items have been donated already but says the club is looking for much more. On his own list of donated items so far, Cass says he has sudi things as tables, stereos, bathroom fixtures, carpeting, electrical equipment and . .household appliances including 'fridges and ithirel. He says both new and used items will be featured. Consignment chairman Ken McGee explains that those people wishing th sell items on consignment will be charged a $10 fee for each item at the time of , consignment plus a 10 per cent commission to the Rotary Club on items sold without a reserve and 15 per cent on item sold witha reserve. . To consign an item contact Ken ivicGee att524-8391; .... . Al Garland at 5247723, Bud Worthy at 524-8612 or John Banter at 524-2177. So far, McGee says a car, truck, boat, trailer, mini - bike and various antiques have been consigned: A donations and consignments will be accepted right up until the day before the auction. At•present, the auction is slated to begin at 10 a.m. but the time could be changed depending on the number of items to be auctioned. Watch this newspaper for that possible time change. Plenty of Madness for shoppers This Thursday ,Friday, and Saturday the town of Goderich will be a haven for bargain hunters who can take advantage of two merchant promotions. Several members of the Shoppers Square Association will be participating in the fourth ren- dition of Midnight Madness on Thursday and Friday and stores will offer hundreds of specials until the stroke of midnight each night. Gord Henderson; association business manager, said most stores will offer specials all day, while some merchants will limit the savings from 7 p.m. to midnight. "In the past, the promotion has been really ex- ceptional," he said. "It brings, people in from out of town because they can have supper and still have time to shop." This week the Signal -Star_ features a special 28 - page special Midnight Madness section detailing the promotional specials. The Suncoast Strip Association . will be holding Moonlight Madness on Thursday and Friday and participating merchants will be open until 11 p.m. both nights. George Parsons feted on 35th anniversary BY JASON AINSLIE When he was feted at a party by friends and relatives recently to mark a milestone in his business career, George Parsons was surprised But he was honored, too, that so many friends would celebrate his 35th anniversary with the Goderich Elevator and Transit Company. Thirty five years takes us back to 1946, and when Mr. Parsons is asked to recollect that post-war period, he takes time to reflect - perhaps on the changes that have taken place or maybe won- dering where the time has gone. Three and a half decades ago, George Parsons recalls, he was working on the grain dock and shaking dust out of his hair. Having just come out of the Air Force, it had been his intention to work there for the summer, then work toward a business degree at Western Universityln London. A timely opening in the administration end of the company, however, was too tempting for a man of twenty five and he forfeited his education for full-time work. "I've regretted that I didn't finish school," the company president said, "because it really would have helped me later, but I've taken business courses every year" to stay on top of modern practices. When he first came into the business, grain sales had good years and bad. The company wasn't tied into trends of the economy but rather was directly related to the fortunes of western Canadian far- mers, and although western Canada was afflicted with hazardous dust storms and drought, grain always found its way to Thunder Bay, and then by steamship to Goderich. In more recent years, Mr. Parsons explained, business fluctuations have levelled somewhat. Since Ontario now has enough grain and corn that it can sell its surplus to world markets, Goderich Elevator and Transit Co. not only brings western grain in by boat to distribute to the east, but brings Ontario cereals, to the wharf to,doad onto ocean- going ships that sail to foreign markets. George Parsons said there is competition among grain storage facilities along this side of Lake Huron, but his weapon against it is high quality service. And while Goderich .has a good harbour and good transportation services, the town's capacity to handle the ocean-going boats has made a big difference. "Canada was a poor exporter of grain because by the time the product reached its market, it was a lower grade." He explained that every time the cargo is handled, it is "broken" down a grade. In this way, loading the grain directly onto - foreign ships in Goderich ensures a higher grade of .product than carrying it to Montreal and transferring the cargo .there. Such concerns are what make Mr. Parsons successful in his work. But success isn't easily attained. Long hours spent on business have kept him from enjoying a great many hobbies, although he tries to work a fishing trip into his agenda at least once a year. His greatest pastime has always been aviation and he jogs every morning to maintain the required physique to hold a pilot's licence. Mr Parsons says he flies about twice a week. but that, too, is usually on business. He doesn't mind the long hours and years of ' work however. He enjoys working and says he feels sorry for those who don't. Later. when another man comes into his office. they cajole about the lack of interest they have in Friday afternoons and hots Mondays are the best days for getting work completed. Looking back over his working life, George Parsons says there wasn't a lot of time for levity. although he remembers a humorous incident involving Lionel Parsos. his father and predecessor. There had been some American tourists in town •andne of the elevator workers promised that if they l'eturned at 7 p.m. that evening. they could Turn to page .i