The Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-06-11, Page 11.1d. abuse expert'
speaks to groups
BY CATH WOODEN`
Statistics saythat, one family in ten has
members • with severe child abuse problems.
Thifigure in Huron County is about one in a.
hutidrec t, but: that doesn't make that one any
legr important, says John Penn, director of
Family and Children's Services in Goderich.
I,ast week, a five day child abuse workshop
was held in the board room of the Assessment
Office. Fifty to 55 social workers, educators,
public health officers, and interested citizens
filled the room daily to hear keynote speaker,
Dr. Alexander Zaphiris.
Dr. Zaphiris is assistant dean of the School of
Sociology at the University of Houston in
Texas. He is one of the top experts in the study
of -child abuse in -North America._-
_ Penn heard him speak in Toronto a year ago
and booked him at that time for Huron's
workshop. The workshop was free of charge for
needed for
group homes
BY CATH WOODEN
At its regular June 3 meeting, Goderich
Planning Board heard a request from a
delegation present on behalf of the provincial
government to include in its Official Plan,
provision for group homes in residential areas.
Hugh Martin of the Social Development
Secretariat and Doug Obright of the Ministry of
Housing told planning board that the govern-
ment is asking every municipality in the
province to amend zoning to allow for any type
of group home to exist in all residential'areas.
Thus far, 18 municipalities have adopted the
government's suggestion.
When asked by the board, Martin admitted
that there has been some opposition from
smaller communities, whose concern is for
some types of group homes such as those for
people who have had run-ins with the law and
their effect on property values. Obright said
that, "there are no statistics to prove that
group homes have any effect, negative or
positive, on property values."
Martin told the board that communities are
being encouraged, "to look after their own,"
and try to keep people with special needs out of
institutions. In other words, it would be highly
unlikely that there would be a halfway house in
Goderichior people from Londwo.Afitarkhomas
coming out of jail.
The type of group homes Goderich would
have, said Martin, are those with mentally
handicapped adults in a permanent or tem-
porary setting, or children whose parents
cannot look_ af-ter them, or-j.u.vinile-offenders.
Turn to page 18 •
anyone wishing to attend from Huron County,
but non-residents had to pay a fee.
The topic varied from day to day with
Monday and Tuesday's discussion centering on
identification and treatment of child abuse and
neglect. Wednesday's seminar dealt with the
sexual abuse of children.
On Thursday, foster and adoptive parents
from all over Huron came- to hear Dr: Zaphiris
give a sensitive talk about Child placement. He
stressed the importance of identity and said,
"You cannot have identity if you are empty
inside."
Penn said that all who attended the workshop
felt that Dr. Zaphiris is "an excepti nal
teacher," and that he presented a consider le
amount of new material concerning child—
abus e.
To wind up his time in Goderich, Dr. Zaphiris
held consultations with agency administrators
and officials with Family and Children's
Services.
"You cannot have identity if you are empty
inside," explained Dr. Alex Zaphiris to several
foster -and -adoptive parents from the area. They
were present at the fourth day of the child abuse
workshop held in the board room of the
Assessment Office last week. Dr. Zaphiris is
assistant dean of the School of Sociology at the
University of Houston. (photo by Cath Wooden)
Treat them royally
BY JASON AINSLIE
The Goderich Tourist Committee and the
Ontario Ministry of Industry and Tourism
recently sponsored a seminar to promote the
theme "Let's all treat visitors royally".
The seminars, which, ran once per day on
Monday to Wednesday of last week, attracted -
and educated many local people ranging from
researchers-- to store clerks, Although the
sessions have previously consumed an entire
day, discussion leader Chris George has
shortened the material- to take about four
hours.
The purpose of the program is to change the
attitudes of Canadians who work with visitors
and tourists as clerks in a store and as people
on the street.
"A tourist," George said, "is anyone who is
more than fifty miles from home. And he is
important because he represents a part of
Ontario's second largest industry."
He went on to say that in 1967, the year of
Expo, Canadians had a good image in tourism
and there was a travel surplus (more tourists
coming here - than Canadians travelling
-abroad).
Since then, there has been a travel deficit. In
1978, this deficit was two billion dollars but last
year, with the seminars reaching some 25,000
people, it was hoped that this would be im-
proved. Mr. George expects the sameresponse
for this season.
By 'reaching out a friendly hand', over 80,000
businesses in Canada profit. The Canadian
Government Office of Tourism estimates that
tourism spending represents at least $400 to
every man, woman and child in Canada every
year. o
"It's not just the dollars that makes sense.
Facilities are built and events are developed to
attract tourists, but they are there for us to
enjoy too."
Mr. George also pointed out that because of
the devalued dollar, foreign visitors to Canada
can make their money go further and perhaps
spend more of it.
The seminar was of the discussion group
format and relied upon the group members'
participation for effect. The participants ex-
changed stories of their best and worst treat-
ment as customers, were reminded of the
importance of proper grooming and telephone
manners and joined in role playing exercises.
All of this is an effort to recondition the at-
titude of Canadians toward visitors to any
community because they are so important to its
economy.
But what about the national slogan which
tells everyone to treat visitors royally? Mr.
George simply replies that the tourism motto
can be condensed to three words: Courtesy,
Eni_,husias:&o.aml anile._ ..
132 YEAR -24
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 1980
35 CENTS PER COPY
haws duck
BY DAVE SYKES
For three days, while 11 rival factions fought.
for control of the Tchadien capital of
N'Djamena, Ron and Peg Shaw cowereq in -a
makeshift bunker under their dining liaoom
table. /
While artillery fire was aimed at the house of
the President next door to the Shaw's, their
structure was rocked by repeated shelling.
They huddled under the mattres, ; 45imlolamber,m,
fortified table, maintaining communication
with other assistance workers and embassy.
officials until they escaped under bedsheet and
pillowcase flags of neutrality during a lull in the
fighting. On March 24, 1980 -they fled, with what
little p.osessions could be carried, and took a
barge across the Chari River to Cameroon.
urifire in Tchad
There they watched the capital city crumble
under a blanket of smoke and fire and have not
been back since.
Ron Shaw, a former reporter with the Signal -
Star, recounted the harrowing experience he
and his wife Peg faced in their CARE posting to
the central African nation of Tchad. A nation
torn and now divided by years of civil war.
Ron was employed by the Star on two
.separate occasions and k,ft the paper in April of
1977 after accepting aCARE posting in Barisal,
Bangladesh, 75 miles from the Bay of Bengal.
He was there for two years, assisting with the
construction of earth structures, roads, canals,
dykes and the implementation of fly control
programs.
He and Peg completed their two-year stint in
What's the Guiness world record for the
greatest number of Beavers Inside an OPP
car? A new one must have' been set last
Saturday when Constable Bill Hassall opened
his car doors for 250 district Beavers. The
Beavers were at Camp Run -Amuck behind the
Bluewater Centre for their annual day of games
and eats, until rain forced them inside. (photo
by Cath Wooden)
Windmill generates problems
BY CATH WOODEN
Julius Kovacs wants to save a bit of money
but the town planning department just doesn't
know if he will be breaking any bylaws to do it.
Kovacs proposes to build a windmill on his
239 Lighthouse Street property to generate
electricity. However, there are no policies or
regulations in the town's Official Plan that
govern windmills and the planning board does
not know whether or not to allow Kovacs to go
ahead with it.
The windmill he wants to build is termed a
Savonitls after the Swedish inventor who
patented it in the States in the early 1920s.
Kovacs, who works in the psychiatric depar-
tment•at A.M.&G. read about it in a booklet and
sent away for the plans.
Two halves of a cylinder are mounted on a
unique verticle axis facing in the opposie
directions such that each half scoops air. The
rotor is 15 feet high and eight feet wide mounted
on a 30 foot steel frame tower, similar to a TV
tower.
Kovacs expects the windmill to generate
about ten kilowatts of electricity and cost about
$1000-$1500 to build.
"It is meant to supplement power needed for
heating purposes," explained Kovacs. He plans
to place a pre -heating tank, powered by the
windmill, try his gas water heater. Water will
enter it and warm up to 'room temperature
frozn about 40 degrees F. before entering the
regular water heater.
"Even if I only get enough wind three days a
week to heat water that much, it will still be
worth it," claims Kovacs. "On a day, with no
wind, the gas will have to work and if it is very
windy, I don't have to use gas. It's that simple."
Kovacs has built a small scale of the Savonius
model; however, it was not securely attached
Turn to page 18
Barisal on July 1, 1979 and embarked on a
holiday excursion to Iran and the United
Kingdom. In late June of 1979 they made their
way to the somewhat more friendly territory of
Niger to undertake six weeks of French
language courses.
Following the courses they made their way to
the-Tchad posting, an African republic, in name
only, that had essentially been without
government since 1979.
Former French ruler, DeGaulle., had
liberated the country in 1962 and subsequently
granted independance, turning power over to
southern black tribes. The Arab tribes of
northern Chad were Moslem and ron explained
that the southern black tribes were affected by
Christian missionaries and exposed to mission
schools.
When independence was granted the black
tribes were the only ones with any ad-
ministrative ability. That obviously led to
friction between the Arab and black tribes and
subsequent wars.
In February 1979, several northern factions
formed a front and captured the capital city of
N.'Jamena. The French maintained a neutral
position and the southern blacks retreated and
formed a line 20 km south of the city. The CARE
mission was lost in the capital and due to• the
politically unstable climate, was not re-
established until April.
Kim is best
in Ontario
Kim Fritzley, 13 -year-old daughter of Bill and
Donna Fritzley of Goderich, won an Ontario
Championship in Highland Dancing for the
open 15 years of age and under category at
competition in Toronto on June 7.
Kim will now proceed to the Canadian
Championship coifipetition to fie- held - in
Calgary', Alberta on July 6. Two dancers in
each age category from each province will
compete. The other girl in Kim's age -category
from this province who has qualified to com-
pete at the national level hails from Ottawa.
Kim started taking highland dance lessons
seven years ago. Her instructor was Mary
Lynne Telford of Goderich. She now travels to
Owen Sound once a= week to be instructed by
Sheila Milne.
Market opens
without farmers
The new Farmer's Market opened on
Saturday minus a contribution from farmers.
The market, which is operated by the town, is
situated every Saturday under the Ronald
Feagan Memorial Grandstand. About eight
stalls were rented out by the town for the first
market last Saturday.
According to rec director Jim Moore and
program co-ordinator Jane Netzke, a real
evaluation of the market will begin on June 21,
when farmers will start bringing in produce to
sell. "We think this is going to work, but people
areanxious for the produce," said Moore.
For.sale last Saturday were various arts and
crafts, and some. baking. Moore says they plan
to maintain the 'stalls under the grandstand, but
if many more vendors are interested in renting,
the town is prepared to overflew the market out
into the parking lot and barracade an area for
additional stalls.
Vendors expect a good day this Saturday, as
Agricultural Park will be crowded will people
out for the pee wee baseball tournament.
Ron and Peg arrived in N'Djamena in July
and were immediately put to work on feeding
programs for the nearly 60,000 southern black
refugees trapped in the city at the time of th
coup.
During the fighting all implementing
agencies pulled out of Tchad and when CARE
re-established their base, they were left to pick
up the work of the other agencies who were
unwilling to, return. When Ron=arrived in July,
the capital city had virtually collapsed.
"There was no water, no electricity, schools
were shelled and there was a shortage of
doctors," Ron said. "Everybody was unem-
ployed aril the city was occupied by six dif-
ferent armies."
The CARE group setut establishing
emergency food programs, collecting garbage,
rebuilding schools and hotpitals and getting
sewers and water facilities operational.
The demise of the city had its roots in
November 79 when a new government was
formed but personal animosity between the
President and Defence Minister eventually led
to fighting in March 1980.
The Shaws had the good fortune of living next
door to the President and at 5 a.m., March 21
they were literally hurled from their bed as
troops began shelling the president's residence.
With the aid of a radio communications -
network, of which they were part, the Shaws
warned the Embassy and other aid personnel
about the attack. By 6 a.m. the attack on the
president was beaten back and fighting con
Turn to page 18
yf'rMi ' :FiirtRMEMO7.(A4;4"Cu7i yr.,a : rimINAlrn i'C'.. y4Js
Ti
Cadets inspected
The annual in-
spection of the No.
532 (Maitland)
Squadron of the
Royal Canadian Air
Cadets was held on
Saturday in the
arena. Pictures of
event can be, found on 1:
page 3 of this section.
Canoe stolen
Last week, Signal reporter Jason Ainslie
interviewed handyman Shawn Watson,
20, who has built an Indian -style canoe of rl
newspapers, mesh cloth, and fiberglass.
Last weekend, Shawn's canoe was :.
stolen, See story on page 12 of this {'
section.
G.D.C.I. winners
All through the section section of this
week's Signal -Star, you will find pictures
of groups of G.D.C.I, students who have
been rewarded for extra-cirricular
activitiessuch as sports, music, and
drama. The school's awards assembly
was held on June 2.
Regular FeatureE
o{;
Tid Bits P. 2
F,ditorials P. 4
Letters P. 4,5
t!5�
Columns P 1A+',
Bulletin Board... P. 5A hl;�
.lottings P. 6A -7A
Sports P. 11-13 Churches P. AA
Classified P 14-16 Penny Fair P. 11A
Real Estate ... P. 16-17 Farm P. 12A
s