The Times Advocate, 2007-08-15, Page 5Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Times -Advocate
5
Opinion Forum News
1 OYEARS AGO
August 20, 1997 - Retired
teacher Mary Moffat was award-
ed an honorary membership by
the Federation of Women
Teachers' Association of Ontario
Aug. 13 at the Federation's annu-
al meeting in Toronto. The award
is given for service to education,
to the teaching profession and to
the Federation which represents
over 41,000 women public school
elementary teachers.
Iva Reid has been named Community Senior
Citizen of the Year in Hensall. Receiving community
volunteer awards were Marg Cole, Linda Randall
and Ron McTaggart.
20 YEARS AGO
August 19, 1987 - An excellent parade, choosing
a Junior Miss and a demolition derby were some of
the features of the weekend Summerfest in
Crediton. Shannon Brennan was crowned Junior
Miss by last year's winner Kelly Glavin. Mike Veal
of Exeter won the top prize of $1,000 in the elimina-
tion draw.
The South Huron Youth for Christ quiz team won
the grand championship at Delevan, New York.
Members of the winning team are Lori Henderson,
Jacqua Lobb, Bill Ryhnard, Kathleen Little, Michelle
Whalen, captain Jeff Westlake and coaches Pat
Westlake and Ron Westlake.
40YEARS AGO
August 21, 1967 - The Baptist Church congrega-
tion in Exeter has been given approval to erect their
new worship centre. The new church will be built
on the south side of Huron street, just east of the
railway tracks.
Gary Middeleton, Exeter's assistant rec director
and arena manager has been named fire chief to
replace Irwin Ford. Middleton is probably the
youngest fire chief in Exeter's history. The former
SHDHS basketball star is 31 years of age.
The population of Exeter jumped this week with
the arrival of 36 workers from Trinidad to assist
with the corn pack at Canadian Canners. The men
will be in Exeter for a minimum of six weeks and
some will be here slightly longer to help with the
canning of carrots. They are being housed in private
homes in the community.
The Department of Transport has advised Exeter
council that traffic control lights at the corner of
Main and Sanders streets are not warranted.
50YEARS AGO
August 19, 1957 - Nineteen year-old Voldemar
Gulens, son of Doctors Voldemar and Mirdze Gulens
of Dashwood became the first student at SHDHS to
receive first class honours in nine Upper School sub-
jects.
Highlight of the back to school season in the area
will be the opening of the new $120,000 Hensall
Public School which was constructed this spring.
Approval of the building of a 14 bed nurses resi-
dence for South Huron Hospital was received from
the Ontario Service Commission, recently.
Seventy-five district boys and girls passed Red
Cross swimming tests last week following instruc-
tion at the Kinsmen playground this summer.
55 YEARS AGO
August 20, 1952 - Only landscaping needs to be
done at the new Kirkton Dam built by the Upper
Thames Conservation Authority.
The South Huron Hospital Association is seeking
applications for the position of hospital superinten-
dent and administration. This is the first step taken
by the board to organize a working administration
for the hospital.
Mr. Norman Martin, a London optometrist has
purchased the Exeter practice of John Orchard on
Main street.
Four complete grain handling units are the out-
standing features of the new plant built by W.G.
Thompson at Hensall. The new mill was built to
replace the one destroyed by fire last year.
65 YEARS AGO
August 21, 1942 -With work progressing rapidly
at Camp Ipperwash, The Canadian Army's million
dollar advanced infantry training centre between
Grand Bend and Forest, the centre will open Sept.
15. Several of the 48 buildings being constructed on
the 2,200 acre site are nearing completion.
Distribution of a half million permanent ration
books started through the Post Office, Monday. The
books will be valid Sept. 15.
ROSS
HAUGH
BACK IN TIME
Seniors' Perspective
By Jim Bearss
SENIORS' CORRESPONDENT
To get back my youth I would do anything in the world,
except take exercise, get up early, or be respectable.
-Oscar Wilde
Senior Housing: If you are interested in living in the
new proposed senior apartment building,
please let me know at 235-0471 ext 15. If there
is no answer, leave your name and phone num-
ber and I'll return your call. Spaces are filling
up fast.
Do you enjoy a challenge?
Are you smarter than a 5th grader?
Can you figure out the clues and make the
correct decision?
Can you outplay, outwit and outlast the other Jim Be
teams and become our surviving team?
If so then the United Way invites you to come and play
with us.
This is the 3rd year for the race and there is still time
to register a team race is to be held on Sat., Aug. 25
teams will be given clues that will direct them to each of
the stops along the way challenges and tasks will be
completed at each stop and eventually teams will be
eliminated until we have a winner first place winning
team receives a $2500 travel voucher, 2nd place receives
$1500 travel vouchers team raising most money over the
registration fee of $500 will receive $500 in travel vouch-
er lots of additional prizes to be handed out also each
team receives...an amazing race t -shirt, lunch, gift bag
and supper at the wind up party not to mention a day of
fun, fun, fun. For more info check out the website at
www.huronunitedway.ca or call the office 524-7900.
Come play with us. Raise money for a great cause, learn
more about places in Huron County and test yourself
against our challenges. We can guarantee a great time
and we look forward to hearing from you.
Linda Finkbeiner Volunteer Race Coordinator, Huron
United Way, 524-7900
CAP program
The Kirkton and Exeter Public Libraries are now offer-
ing the Community Access Program. CAP is a
Government of Canada's initiative, administered by
Industry Canada.
CAP offers free one-on-one training sessions to the
public; it also offers free cyber camps and work shops
held at both sites. To schedule an appointment or regis-
ter for a cyber camp or workshop, contact the Exeter
library at 235-1890 or the Kirkton library at 229-8854.
What's happening in the Grand Bend area?
Aug. 20 "Vacation Bible School" 20-24 Thedford Arena
from 9-12 p.m. Theme "The Great Bible Reef' Cost $2
per child for week or $5 per family. Preschool ages to
grade 6 and call Cathy Leckey to register 296-4802
Aug. 21"Canada's Wonderland." At the Grand Bend
Youth Centre. Enjoy lots of games, movies and fun this
week with a trip to Wonderland planned! Call 519-238-
1155
Aug. 21 "Flower Arranging Day" Grand Bend
Horticultural Society. There is a small charge to cover
the costs. Join Mary Kernohan, Liz Putherbough (519-
236-7884) and Andre Belisle. Get prepared for Sept. and
Dec. flower shows. Meet at Lion's Pavilion.
Aug. 21 "Port Franks Garden Club" 7:30 p.m. Port
Franks Community Centre with speaker Brian Folmer,
topic "Garden Planning"
Aug. 27 "Grand Bend Horticultural Society Annual
Picnic and Awards" Port Blake Park. Contact Liz for
details 519-236-7884
Aug. 28 "Talent Show and Carnival Day" will be at the
Grand Bend Youth Centre. Call 238-1155 for details
Aug. 30 "Diabetes Support Group Fall Planning
Meeting" Grand Bend Area CHC, 69 Main St East. 11
a.m. in Adult Day wing. Please bring a healthy dish to
share at our pot luck lunch. Call Aileen 238-1556 ext 4
for details.
Isolation doesn't equal safety: Editorial from the
Listowel Banner.
Ontario lost its innocence as police conducted a desper-
ate search for a killer recently in Southern Huron
County. Residents were warned to lock their doors and
vehicles - a warning that was taken seriously after the
bodies of two elderly people were discovered. The news
hits hard.
We live in the kind of a community where people might
invite a stranger into the house and where doors are still
often left unlocked - or were. We lock them now.
Difficult as it might be for urban residents to believe,
there are a good number of people in this part of the
world who share the general opinion that no lock will
stop a bad guy determined to get in, but it would stop a
neighbour from dropping off a plate of cookies. Our real
concern is stopping the bugs from getting into the house,
and a screen door handles that nicely, without blocking
the fresh air or a cheerful greeting from a friend out for
a walk.
For the most part, people in rural areas regarded our
relative isolation as protection. True, we have our share
of n'er-do-wells just like any other community, but we
know them. They in turn know us and apart from taking
a swing at a buddy after a few too many beers, usually
behave themselves when they are close to home. And the
out-of-town criminal usually head for Toronto or
Montreal, granting us a weird sort of sense of immunity.
Or so we used to think.
We have just received a wake-up call. Our rela-
tive isolation does not make us safe, it makes us
targets. We rarely think of rural areas as prone to
crime, but according to police, break-ins and theft
are a growing problem in areas like this. First,
there is a certain noxious element of society that
likes the privacy of living out in the country - biker
gangs, drug dealers and the like. Lack of close
neighbours makes a farm house an ideal place to
produce methamphetamine because of the strong
odour.
Rural areas are also increasingly targeted by thieves
looking for such items as snowmobiles, power tools,
ATVs, firearms, and trucks in which to haul the loot
away. These thefts are often committed in broad day-
light. As for locking vehicles and houses, the unfortunate
reality is anyone who really wants in will indeed get in.
But most of the thefts are not well planned and execut-
ed operations like "Oceans 11". An obstacle will usually
cause the perpetrators to move on to something easier,
such as a car left unlocked with the keys in the ignition,
or a house that does not have a huge, loud -mouthed dog
glaring malevolently out the windows. A police officer in
a city department was once quoted as saying the best
defense against crime is a nosy neighbour. That is one
key reason why small communities are relatively safe - it
is not the isolation, but the neighbours.
Being a good neighbour means keeping in touch and
checking on people. If we see something unusual hap-
pening at someone's house - perhaps an unexpected
vehicle, and lights on at odd times or locations - we
should call police. That means right now, not two days
later, after the criminal is long gone.
Being a good neighbour also means lobbying our elect-
ed officials for more realistic sentencing. Too many
crimes are being committed by people who should still
be in jail, not out pending a bail hearing. But we need
something better than a system in which a life sentence
translates into only seven years behind bars, and consid-
erably less if the killer falls under our youth legislation
and can remain un -named.
We have lost our innocence in rural Ontario, but we
have gained a determination to work together to make
our neighbourhoods safer places, whether we live in a
city housing complex or a cluster of farmhouses. We
know we have an uphill journey ahead of us every step
of the way, but we will succeed.
Youth Curfews: With the onset of warm weather and
youth out of school during the summer months, County
of Wellington OPP has experienced an increase in young
people out all hours of the night.
When the officers take the youth home, sometimes the
parents are unaware of curfews that are in place for the
protection of the youth and our communities.
The County of Wellington OPP would like to remind
parents and youth of the curfew in effect under the Child
and Family Services Act. Under this act, no youth 16
years of age or younger shall be permitted to loiter in a
public place between midnight and 6 a.m. or be in a
place of entertainment unaccompanied by parent or an
authorized adult between midnight and 6 a.m.
Youth curfews are aimed at reducing victimization and
youth crime. Police are authorized to take children in
breach of this curfew home, or to a place of safety.
13 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of
Insanity
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sun -glass-
es on and point a hair dryer at passing cars and see if
they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom, don't disguise your
voice.
3. Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if
they want fries with that?
4. Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "IN."
5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for three weeks, and
once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions,
then switch to Espresso.
6. In the memo field of all your cheques, write "for
Smuggling Diamonds".
7. Finish all your sentences with "in accordance with
the prophecy."
8. Don't be using any punctuation in your letter!
9. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
10. Order diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a
serious face.
11. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."
12. Sing along at the opera
13. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't
rhyme?
arss