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The Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-05-25, Page 12Page 10—The Wingham Advance -Times. May 25, 1983 WEDDING FLOWERS—Eileen Haugh of Bluevale and Sandra Staples from Wingham create flower arrangements from paper and p/antic. The flowers, which are sold for wedding parties, are one of the ways the Reavie Workshop raises money to support its operations. WASHING THE DISHES—Perhaps not one of their more glamorous duties, but a necessary one nevertheless, Theresa Van Lammern and Wayne Procter, both of Blyth, team up to wash the morning dishes as part of the Life Skills program at the Reavie Workshop. °Alm d; 's t too good to a true Reavie Op finally gets After years of making do with increasingly cramped, hand-me-down ac- commodations, Wingham's Jack Reavie Opportunity Workshop at last has a home it can be proud to call its own. In fact, the transformation of this occupational and training centre for mentally retarded adults has been so complete that some people are still pinching themselves to make sure it really is true. It's not hard to understand why. To anyone who has spent years trying — quite successfully — to run life skills, craft and work programs for up to a dozen people in the small, white cottage which was its former home, the bright and spacious new workshop must seem like a dream. If so, it is a dream which promises to vastly expand the training and work programs for the workshop clients, not only in terms of numbers but also in the variety of jobs and services offered. From one of the smaller programs in the area, the Reavie workshop now has the potential • to develop to rival some of the leaders, such as Listowel and Goderich. "I still can't believe this is really happening!" Work- shop Manager Connie Jamieson exclaimed, shortly after moving into the new quarters earlier this year. "It's been talked about and worked on so long." The new space — more than double what they_ had before,. even with the ad- dition ddition of a portable a couple of years ago — increases the workshop capacity to 25 clients from 15 and allows Miss Jamieson and her assistants, Chris Dickson, who runs the life skills program, and Joan Hamilton, a part-time work- shop instructor, to offer more varied an ambitious programs. There are two parts to the workshop: life skills, which provides training in basic living skills including per- sonal hygiene, preparing meals, doing laundry, making beds and washing dishes, and the "workshop" aspect, which offers em- ployment ranging from filling contracts for several companies to offering custom services like re - webbing lawn chairs, doing photocopying or making paper flowers for wedding parties. This work is important, since it not only provides experience for the workers and a sense of usefulness but also brings needed income to help the workshop meet its budget. Although 80 per cent of the operating expenses are paid for by the provincial Ministry of Community and Social Services, the work- shop is expected to raise the other 20 per cent itself. Last year that amounted to about $17,000. However the money- making aspect cannot be allowed to obscure the real objective of the program, which is to provide the types rtuni 011(S oi ome of its own of training and experience that will help mentally retarded people make their way in the world. "If you're out to make money all the time, the people are going to suffer," Miss Jamieson cautioned. "You must think of the people programs as well as money." And so, as well as being a place to work, the Reavie Workshop is a place for developing social and recreational skills, like the Wednesday afternoon bowling or the weekly swimming sessions. The long-term goal of this workshop and others like it is to eventually enable the mentally retarded to move out of such "sheltered em - Authorize tenders for Leonard Drain GORRIE—A revised report of the Leonard Municipal Drain and its branches was approved, subject to the outcome of a Court of Revision, by Howick Township Council following a meeting of property owners held at the Gorrie Hall on May 17. Council also authorized engineer David Johnson to call for tenders for the drainage works. Tenders are to be submitted to the Township Office by 8 p.m., June 21 when the Court of Revision regarding the drainage works will also be held. In the revised report the estimated cost of the drainage works was reduced from $170,000 to $168,150 and a number of property owners in the northwest quadrant of the watershed, primarily north of the Canadian Pacific Railway line, had their assessments reduced -substantially: - -... _.. `.. :._,....-- These landowners com- plained at an earlier meeting that their lands do not drain into the Leonard Municipal Drain. The drain includes properties along concessions 5, 6, and 7 in Howick Township and concession 6 in Minto Township. Opening the second meeting on the drainage works, Howick Reeve William Newton said, "We'd like to get this show on the road." The reeve later advised landownersthat municipal- ities have been finding con- tractors are "hungry for work" and as a result many drainage contracts are being awarded "considerably be- low the estimated cost". estimated cost". Two property owners, Dave Dickert and Morley Brears, still appeared dissatisfied. Mr. Dickert who had the net charge on one lot reduced from $323 to $100, said he thought the assessment was still too high. On another lot - on which the net charge was reduced from $227 to $60, Mr. Dickert said he didn't think he should be paying any amount. Reeve Newton advised him that he could bring his objections before the Court of Revision. Because the drainage works involves the Township of Minto, the reeve explained that one of the three people composing the court will be a represen- tative of Minto. Deputy Reeve Jack Stafford further advised Mr. Dickert that if he is not _satisfied with•the findings -of the Court of Revision he can take his case to the Drainage Tribunal. "That would likely hold up the project for two years or something like that," Deputy Reeve Stafford said. Mr. Brears said he felt the Brears Branch of the drain should have been a portion of the main drain rather than being a separate branch. He also expressed the opinion drainage might be worse after construction work than it is tow. "We've already had that happen once — tile cut," Mr. Brears said, "land neither worked very well af- terward." ummuummiwnnnnumuumnumlmnunnnummninu miu mnmmiuummumuuummisii nu Brookhaven Events nnnuuunnmm11mnnnunuunnnumcmmunnnnuuuuuunnnnnnnnnunnnunununnnnuununun The WMS from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church held a birthday tea here May 11. They en- tertalned the residents by playing the violin and banjo and did a skit on the rat and mouse as well as readings. Armand McBurney celebrated his 100th birthday May 14 with friends and relatives, some of whom came from as far away as Michigan. On the 18th, the children from Grades 1 and 2 at Sacred Heart School en- tertained the residents by singing several songs. Choral readings were given by the Grade Twos. They closed this part of the. program with several songs, after which they took their readers to show to the residents. On the 19th, 16 residents enjoyed seeing films on Canada and in particular Ontario showing tulip time and the changing of the guard at Ottawa and Upper Canada Village. Parts of Toronto which were shown included the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing struc- ture in the world; markets, the zoo and the CNE. Also seen were Niagara Falls and Fort York. Residents and staff were saddened at the death of Graham Moffat May 19 in his 83rd year. His wife Annie is a resident of Brookhaven. Everyone extends sympathy to her and her family. Brookhaven welcomes Mrs. Ethel Cook. gdy ALL IN A DA Y'S WORK—Some of the jobs performed by the people at the Reavie Workshop takes them out of the workshop, as for instance their contract to weigh and bag materials for Wingham's Western Foundry. Ruth Struthers, Charlie Buck and Bill Kirton form a work party which goes to the foundry steel room to do the job. Con- tracts such as this as well as its custom work and craft and bake sales help the work- shop to meet its annual operating budget. LAWN CHAIR REPAIR is one of the services offered through the Jack Reavie Oppor- tunity Workshop in Wingham. Steve Millen of Teeswafer, one of the workshop clients, works at replacing the webbing on this chair, making it as good as new. ploynaent" and find a spot in the workplace, Miss Jamieson said. Admittedly that is an ambitious goal and one which not everyone will be able to reach. Still, the workshop is far more than just a place for mentally retarded people to while away the hours. Although they will not get rich on it, clients do receive incentive pay for their ef- forts and money management is among the skills offered by the in- structors. Clients have their own accounts and are en- couraged to save for items they want, and a shopping trip downtown can be a high- light as well an opportunity for further learning. They are taught how to comparison shop for value and quality and are allowed to make their own decisions. '°Wingham has been really good to them," Miss Jamieson reported. When they go into stores, the sales- people always try to help. There has never been any trouble finding clients for the workshop; the problem has been just the reverse: fin- ding room to accommodate everyone. The workshop had been at full capacity in the old quarters. Hopefully the new building will provide all the room necessary in the coming years. New clients come in periodically from the Golden Circle School, which they must leave when they turn 21 (though some begin coming to the workshop sooner), and moreafre expected when the announce.d..closing .of _the.. Bluewater . Centre at Goderich takes effect. It also provides room for the development of some new programs, Miss Jamieson said. The workshop has been given permission to hire three students this summer through the Manpower Summer Canada Student Employment program, to ,work on things the regular staff has been to busy to undertake. These include developing a domestic cleaning program for the community, a second- hand store, perhaps in the workshop's spacious base- ment, and a formalized craft program. "The workshop will be really booming this sum- mer," she noted. "Everything is happening here so fast — we waited for so long. "For so long we waited and worked hard. It's almost toogood to be true!" Organizers of the work- shop, named for thr late Jack Reavie, a former Wingham Mayor, must have had something like this in mind back when they started the first modest program in the old police offices under the Town Hall some seven years ago. At that time there were just a couple of people involved, but as time passed the program grew quickly and the following year moved into the white cottage beside the new day care centre. After that reached capacity, in 1980 the workshop acquired a por- table which served until late last year when both buildings were removed to make way for the new work- shop. Members of the Wingham and District Association for the Mentally Retarded can Bowler of year tournament held The Bowler of the Year Tournament was held at the Wingham Lanes last Tues- day night. The bowlers who qualified for this tournament had the high triples in their leagues for a month during the season. Prizes were awarded for the top two men and women's triples, also the top two men and women with a handicap. The high triple for the men went to Rod Hickey; high triple for the ladies went to Winnie Boyd. Both also received trophies as Bowler of the Year. The high man with a handicap was Kevin Hickey and high lady with a han- dicap was Marg Gavreluk. Second high men's triple was Clint Petteplace; second high ladies' triple was Dorothy Brintnell. Second high man with handicap was Bill Greig; second high lady with handicap was Anna Nesbitt. take special satisfaction from the knowledge that it was their hard work and perseverence that made the dream of a new workshop come true. Though operating grants from the government will help to pay off the mort- gage, it was through the efforts of local AMR members that the building was planned and erected, and the fundraising still goes on. The grand opening of the new building is set for June 17, with details to be an- nounced closer to that date. 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We offer financing, counselling, management training, and information about government assistance programs for business Perhaps together we can get your plans moving. FEDERAL BUSINESS BANQUE FEDIRALE DEVELOPMENT BANK DE DEVELOPPEMENT Ydul success is our only business. For App, :.intment Call 271-5050 cii i lilt ri 1