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The Times Advocate, 2005-03-02, Page 66 Exeter Times -Advocate Wednesday, March 2, 2005 Opinion Forum News Seniors' perspective Continued from page 5 graduation day he received his Wireless Air Gunners wing and his Commission as a Pilot Officer. He then was posted to Debert Air Station in Nova Scotia, where for the next three months he was busy in operational training. After that was completed, he was posted overseas to England, May 1943. He saw service in England and then to Gibraltar on Coastal Command, returning to England on January 1, 1944. Then he was transferred to Bomber Command and made numerous operational flights in Mosquito Bombers over enemy territory. He then transferred to Fighter Command and so far as known, the entire crew of four were missing after being shot down. The target and mission they were on at that time could not be talked about. It would be August of 1945 before the crewmen's families learned what their sons' flying missions con- sisted of. It would be another 50 years before they learned what really happened to them. This is the story of what their job consisted of, which had been kept secret. With the surrender of Japan, the following information was released. From the little village of Tempsford, Bedfordshire England, the R.C.A.F. operated two special Mission Squadrons. None of the inhabitants knew the R.C.A.F. Station near them held one of the war's biggest secrets. These squadrons were the Air Bourne Scarlet Pimpernels of the Second World War. The squadrons delivered arms, ammunition, radio sets, food and other supplies to the underground fighters of all the occupied countries. There was also a passenger service for Czech, Polish, and Dutch agents who were dropped in their own countries, while others were brought back to England for training as saboteurs. On the night of March 20/21, 1945, #161 Squadron dispatched eight Sterlings, and five Hudson aircraft on special duties, dropping supplies to the resistance in Europe. The mission of Hudson T 9445 was to para- chute an SOE agent behind the enemy lines and blow up the railway lines. When the agent baled out of the aircraft, the bag containing explosives, which was attached to his leg, caught on the aircraft and was lost. He landed successfully but because he had no means of completing the task, he had to abort the mission and return to the allied lines. It was on that mission that Flight Lieutenant Allan Frayne Penhale, Wireless Air Gunner at the age of 24 years, flying in a Hudson aircraft in Squadron #161, was shot down near Samre, Belgium while engaged in the special mission described above. Allan Frayne Penhale was buried at Fraiture, Belgium, temporarily, but was exhumed after the war, and was reburied in the Heverlee War Cemetery in Belgium. Allan Frayne Penhale was the son of Asa and Venetta Penhale of Exeter, Ontario. Beside his parents, he was survived by four sisters, Mrs. W.B. Crawford (Margaret) of Belmont, Mrs S.D. Bland (Gladys) of Windsor, Grace and Doris at home. Next week: 60th Anniversary of V.E. Day Last Words:All I Need to Know About Life Learned From A Cow Wake up in a happy m0000 -d. Don't cry over spilled milk. When chewing your cud, remember... There is no fat, no calories. No cholesterol and no taste! The grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Turn the udder cheek and m0000-ve on. Seize every opportunity and milk it for all it is worth! It's better to be seen and not herd. Honor thy fodder and mother and all udder relatives. Never take any bull from anybody. Always let them know who's bossy! Stepping on cow pies brings good luck. Black and white is always an appropriate fashion statement. Don't forget to cow - nt your blessings every day. GEMS MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS! • While giving a physical the doctor noticed that his patient's shins were covered with dark bruises. "Tell me," said the doctor, "do you play hockey or soccer?" "Neither," said the man. My wife and I play bridge." • A farmer stayed home on Sunday to haul hay because rain was predicted. Just after noon, as he came down the road with a load, he met the minister, who looked at him reproachfully. ""Listen," said the farmer, "I figure it's better to be sitting on this hay thinking about God than be sitting in church thinking about hay," Help BBBSSH reach their goal Dear Editor: Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron would like to invite the public to heat up the lanes at Zurich Town and Country bowling lanes March 6 at 1 p.m. to melt away the snow. The goal for this year is $25,000 to celebrate the 25th annual Bowl for Kids Beach Party Daze. Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron is a non- profit agency without government funding. This is the most important fundraiser, as the agency must raise 100 per cent of the funds independently. BBB- SSH therefore, relies on the generosity of the com- munity to support such programs as In School Mentoring, Kids 'N' Kops, BIGBunch, and Big/Little Mentoring. Last year $18,000 was raised thanks to the help of the community! Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron are asking for your help once again; you can help by entering a team to bowl on March 6, col- ��..�� Letters lect pledges and don't . tO the forget to wear your Editor favourite beach clothes. Help BBBSSH reach the goal of $25,000! This year's Bowl for Kids will be at Zurich Town and Country March 6. Corporate and school times are also available from Feb. 21 to March 6 call the office 235-3307 or visit www.shbbbs.on.ca for pledge sheets and to book your time. BOBBI-JO KING Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron Leader urgently required for Senior Games Dear Editor: As of March 1, 2005 Ray and I have resigned our vol- unteer duties with the Senior Games. Twelve years have gone by very fast. We had made plans to resign after the tenth year of volunteering for this group; however, we agreed to continue for the last two years to offer assistance to anyone who was interested in replacing us. To our disappointment no one came on board to help. During the 12 years of working with this group we have met a lot of great seniors and made many lasting friendships. We have been fortunate to travel to `Actifest' which is the all -Ontario provincials for seniors held in Richmond Hill, Windsor, Ottawa, Kingston and St. Catherines. These provincials are held in August every other year. Since the year 2000, winter games have been added to the active sports activities. Collingwood was the host in 2000 and London hosted the event on 2003. In 2005, Barrie was the hosting city. Each year seniors from the Exeter and surrounding area competed in the Huron -Perth -Middlesex tri -coun- ty games. Each community sends participants to take part. Last year there were 1032 entries from 23 com- munities involved in the 15 games. Points are earned for participation and extra points for wins. Exeter brought home either the first, second or third place trophy each year. We are proud to announce that Exeter placed first for several years in a row. Participants put a lot of effort, time and pride into these games. The time spent with the seniors group has been rewarding and we thoroughly enjoyed every aspect where we participated. Because of our long-standing dedication towards the Senior Games we are feeling sad to now resign and leave this group without a leader. We understand that the active component of the group will suffer without the support of a leader, some- one who has a love for sports, volunteering and enjoy- ing time spent with older adults. Without a leader there may be little or no Senior Games activity in the Exeter area. This would be a great detriment to the health benefits that seniors gain through physical activity and socializing with their fellow peers. It is our strong hope that an energetic and dedicated person will step forward and resume where Ray and I have left off. Please let the seniors of this community look forward to the continuance of senior sport and activities. RAY AND JUNE HODGSON, Exeter ON Redefining society Dear Editor: The whole debate over the definition of marriage in Canada is another symptom of an underlying shift going on in our society where the Judeo-Christian underpinnings that formed the basis for the freedom, prosperity, and values we have today (including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms) are being challenged by a secular foundation that seeks to enjoy the benefits of this society without God. The same-sex marriage legislation has merely brought this to the fore and what Canadians must understand is that we are in the process of redefining not only marriage, but society as a whole, from the ground up. It is simply not the case that maintaining the current definition of marriage is unconstitutional or an abuse of human rights (the Supreme Court said so). The Canadian Charter is founded on the understanding that in Canadian society we recognize ourselves to be under the supremacy of God. All people in Canadian society would rightly be protected, cherished for who they are, and heard. This value stems from our foundational belief that we are under a God who gave free will and so we treat people with dignity and allow the freedom to live as one chooses, even where we disagree and even corporately recognize that some lifestyles are unhealthy and not for the greater good (i.e. smoking for example). However, it is also because we are under God that we set parameters and guard certain societal building blocks that are outside our jurisdiction to redefine. Marriage is one of these since the conscious union of one man and one woman is the only relation- ship whereby children can enter the world and under the care of two united, yet uniquely different people be brought up to love God, others, and serve the greater good. Now, granted, some marriages do not bring forth children, some children enter the world without com- mitted or loving parents, and marriage itself has not always lived up to this ideal. Divorce is high, single - parent families face constant challenges, and religious groups have not always done well at upholding the standard. However, we don't just change the rules because the mark has been missed or ignored. Rather than change the rules, we ought to be working harder at firming up what has been lost and left to crumble at the expense of future generations. The truth is that the redefinition of marriage is just another indication of the redefmition of Canadian soci- ety. If that is what we want then let's clearly say, "We want a society that is not under the supremacy of God but under the supremacy of individual or group whims." However, if we get what we increasingly seem to want we must recognize that we are actually creat- ing a social structure that defies our charter - we will no longer recognize the supremacy of God, ultimately uprooting the very values we claim to cherish, and cre- ating a climate where the mark we set in Parliament this year can easily be exchanged for something else next year based upon who has the clout or dollars. Remember, it is because we recognize a loving God who is supreme over all our opinions that we can even have this debate in the first place. So, could it be that the greatest defense for the future of the rights of all Canadians (including gays and lesbians who deserve it as much as anyone else) would be the proper defeat of the proposed same-sex marriage bill that is currently before our House of Commons? PHIL WAGLER, PASTOR Zurich Mennonite Church Zurich, ON Scrap metal lifted from compound EXETER — Someone entered an open compound at the Hamilton Machine Shop in Exeter and got away with $1,000 in scrap metal. Police say it happened during the Feb. 11 weekend. The compound is locat- ed behind the business and police say it was left open for a customer. Metal-like bars, pipes and other material were removed. Skids stolen BLUEWATER — Huron OPP are investigating a second case of wooden skids being stolen from a business on Blind Line in Bluewater. The building belongs to Hensall Co-op and is close to Zurich. Sometime between Feb. 5 to 7, a person stole 25 bright coloured wooden 4' X 4' skids left next to a loading dock. The theft of these skids is approximately $500. In mid-December the same building was attacked and 250 wooden skids were taken valued at $5,000. If you can help solve these cases please contact the local OPP office or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).