The Advocate's Devil – Historical Flash Fiction
“MONEY TO LOAN: – I have any amount of money at a low rate on first mortgage. W. HULL”
It was just the sort of filler that Wellington Hull loved to drop into the pages of his newspaper. Like most businessmen, he wore several hats.
Case in point, the advertisement on page one of today's Erin Advocate (Wednesday, March 30, 1910) from J.W. Turner, the Hillsburgh funeral director: “Our wallpaper has been tried and found guilty and condemned to be hung. Call early and get the bargains before they are all hung. Four cents and upwards per single roll.” Hillsburgh humour at its finest.
Here in Erin village, Mr. Hull was in the business of knowing everyone else's business. People who didn't qualify for a loan at the Union Bank could simply go upstairs to the newspaper office and make a deal with Hull. He was constantly auctioning farms and machinery, offering eight months of credit on sums over $10.
Hull was also the Erin “Correspondent” for the Standard Mercantile Agency of Toronto. That meant he was not only a debt collector for far-away wholesalers, but was empowered to rate the credit-worthiness of any Erin businessman. Information was the key to his success, which is why I was in his office. A printer's devil always gets the dirty jobs.
“Robert Campbell wants to borrow money from me, but he's new in town, so no one knows much about him. Last fall he showed me a brand new horse-drawn gang plow. Two-furrow. Seat for the driver and big wheels. International Harvester. Wants to put it up as collateral, but I don't think it he owns it. Suspect he borrowed it from his brother in Rockside, just for show.
“Now I have it on good authority that he and his family are going by stage coach to Fergus today to visit his uncle, who has taken ill. Take this letter to Campbell's farm, and when you find no one home, take a look in his barn. I need to know what implements he has there now.”
I took my 25 cent bonus and smiled about the things Hull didn't know, like the fact that I knew the combination to his office safe. And the distinct possibility that Campbell's 17-year-old daughter Edna would be home, alone. I packed a flask of Erin's finest and set off.
Caught a ride with a buggy headed for Alton and got off at the Tenth Line. As I neared the farm on foot, I saw a man on horseback riding down the lane from the house. I ducked into the swampy bush beside the road, and when he turned and rode by I saw it was George McCutcheon, a slimy sort who hung about the hotels and loaned money at usurious rates.
My friend at the post office said McCutcheon had received a mail order package of Phosphonol, advertised as an “Electric Restorer for Men” that would return every nerve in the body to its proper tension. “Premature decay and all sexual weakness averted at once.” Just $3 a box – almost half a week's wages.
Running up the lane, I found no one at the house. I stepped into the barn and heard a curse from the horse stalls. Edna stepped out, covered in straw, fastening the buttons of her blouse.
“Ethan! So nice to see you. Come here. Let's have a li'll dance.” Her words were slurred as she stumbled and grabbed my shoulders. I remembered last year's Fall Fair, when we had danced, then snuck off into the woods near the river. “What's the matter, you don't wanna dance?”
“Did he force you?”
“Ha!” She started laughing, caught herself, then put on her serious face. “No.”
“Why was he here?”
“I invited him. He was here last week, arguing with papa. We owe him 5 dollars. Or should I say, we used to owe him.”
“You shouldn't have.”
“Don't worry. I didn't.” She started to giggle. “Georgie Porgie wasn't up to the task.” She laughed, coughed, gagged, and soon the whiskey she had consumed was on the barn floor.
As she composed herself, I looked around. There was a small harrow, a rusty mower, a big wagon and an old-fashioned one-furrow walking plow.
I took Edna to her bedroom and laid her down on the bed. I covered her up, placed a kiss on her temple, breathed in the soft scent of her hair, and left.
“Yes, sir. I had a good look around Campbell's barn. There was a small harrow, a rusty mower, a big wagon and a brand new two-furrow riding plow.”
“Did anyone see you?”
“Not a soul.”
March 31, 2010
Public input crucial for highway improvements
As published in The Erin Advocate
They actually wrote back to me, and it wasn't a form letter. In December, I wrote to the Ministry of Transportation team that is planning new links for the Brampton-Milton-Guelph area, voicing opposition to a major highway through the Escarpment and the farms of south Erin.
"In regards to your comments about making every possible effort to avoid crossing the Niagara Escarpment with new transportation infrastructure, the EA (Environmental Assessment) process being followed by the GTA West Project Team is designed to carefully consider potential impacts to environmental features including the Niagara Escarpment, Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine and other conservation areas during the generation and evaluation of alternatives."
The language may be bureaucratic, and it isn't signed by an individual, but at least someone read my letter and took the time to respond. My view that it would be better for the economy to build a highway from Brampton to Milton, south of Georgetown, instead of to Guelph via Erin has been "noted".
They made no comment about the possibility of expanding Wellington Road 124 or other roads like Winston Churchill, other than to say that public feedback and other factors are being weighed to come up with a "recommended" strategy, to be presented at a Public Information Centre this spring.
When I expressed concerns about the high rate of growth in Southern Ontario, they reminded me that the Ontario government has identified growth centres like Brampton, Milton and Guelph, and that their job is to improve transportation linkages.
Ontario's Places to Grow program attempts to manage growth in a way that "supports economic prosperity, protects the environment and helps communities achieve a high quality of life." This includes "more compact" communities, to avoid urban sprawl. The Greater Golden Horseshoe is expected to add 3.7 million more people by 2031. Do we need that many more people, or could we manage with 2.7 million? How about 1.7 million?
I was surprised to learn that the population of Brampton is estimated at 510,000. It was only about 180,000 when I worked there in 1985, when it was already one of Canada's fastest-growing cities, having added 100,000 people in the previous ten years.
I suggested to the GTA Project Team that a GO Transit shuttle bus service between the Georgetown train station and nearby communities would make better use of the rail capacity, which is now being expanded. They said they are already recommending expansion of inter-regional GO Bus routes to feed GO Rail stations.
With a recent provincial budget that deferred many transit projects, we shouldn't expect much soon. But still, bus service is an achievable goal that Erin should lobby hard to obtain, since it would be a substantial benefit for many residents and businesses.
In other commuter news, the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for rebuilding Winston Churchill Boulevard from Olde Baseline Road to the top of the Terra Cotta hill has been completed.
Project Manager Solmaz Zia said that in response to public concerns, "a number of adjustments were made to limit grading impacts to properties, heritage stone fences and mature trees along the existing right-of-way."
The project will resolve serious safety issues on the road, but result in more traffic through Terra Cotta. The two-lane road will be paved, with improved sightlines and drainage, and the speed limited reduced from 70 to 60 kph. There will be four-way stop signs at Ballinafad Road and Olde Baseline. Zia said that wildlife habitat will be protected in compliance with the Ontario Endangered Species Act.
Objections to the plan can be submitted until May 4. If they cannot be resolved in discussion with Peel Region, any person or group can request that the Minister of the Environment order further review. The ministry would make the final decision.
They actually wrote back to me, and it wasn't a form letter. In December, I wrote to the Ministry of Transportation team that is planning new links for the Brampton-Milton-Guelph area, voicing opposition to a major highway through the Escarpment and the farms of south Erin.
"In regards to your comments about making every possible effort to avoid crossing the Niagara Escarpment with new transportation infrastructure, the EA (Environmental Assessment) process being followed by the GTA West Project Team is designed to carefully consider potential impacts to environmental features including the Niagara Escarpment, Greenbelt, Oak Ridges Moraine and other conservation areas during the generation and evaluation of alternatives."
The language may be bureaucratic, and it isn't signed by an individual, but at least someone read my letter and took the time to respond. My view that it would be better for the economy to build a highway from Brampton to Milton, south of Georgetown, instead of to Guelph via Erin has been "noted".
They made no comment about the possibility of expanding Wellington Road 124 or other roads like Winston Churchill, other than to say that public feedback and other factors are being weighed to come up with a "recommended" strategy, to be presented at a Public Information Centre this spring.
When I expressed concerns about the high rate of growth in Southern Ontario, they reminded me that the Ontario government has identified growth centres like Brampton, Milton and Guelph, and that their job is to improve transportation linkages.
Ontario's Places to Grow program attempts to manage growth in a way that "supports economic prosperity, protects the environment and helps communities achieve a high quality of life." This includes "more compact" communities, to avoid urban sprawl. The Greater Golden Horseshoe is expected to add 3.7 million more people by 2031. Do we need that many more people, or could we manage with 2.7 million? How about 1.7 million?
I was surprised to learn that the population of Brampton is estimated at 510,000. It was only about 180,000 when I worked there in 1985, when it was already one of Canada's fastest-growing cities, having added 100,000 people in the previous ten years.
I suggested to the GTA Project Team that a GO Transit shuttle bus service between the Georgetown train station and nearby communities would make better use of the rail capacity, which is now being expanded. They said they are already recommending expansion of inter-regional GO Bus routes to feed GO Rail stations.
With a recent provincial budget that deferred many transit projects, we shouldn't expect much soon. But still, bus service is an achievable goal that Erin should lobby hard to obtain, since it would be a substantial benefit for many residents and businesses.
In other commuter news, the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment for rebuilding Winston Churchill Boulevard from Olde Baseline Road to the top of the Terra Cotta hill has been completed.
Project Manager Solmaz Zia said that in response to public concerns, "a number of adjustments were made to limit grading impacts to properties, heritage stone fences and mature trees along the existing right-of-way."
The project will resolve serious safety issues on the road, but result in more traffic through Terra Cotta. The two-lane road will be paved, with improved sightlines and drainage, and the speed limited reduced from 70 to 60 kph. There will be four-way stop signs at Ballinafad Road and Olde Baseline. Zia said that wildlife habitat will be protected in compliance with the Ontario Endangered Species Act.
Objections to the plan can be submitted until May 4. If they cannot be resolved in discussion with Peel Region, any person or group can request that the Minister of the Environment order further review. The ministry would make the final decision.
March 24, 2010
Economic committee wants input from local firms
As published in The Erin Advocate
Erin's Economic Development Committee is hoping to get more advice on how the town's business climate can be improved.
Preliminary assessment is being done on a questionnaire that could end up going to every business in Erin. It is part of an Ontario government program called Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E), designed to help communities attract and keep the type of development that they want.
"It is potentially a huge project," said Brian Gentles, who recently took over as chair of the committee, which advises Town Council on business issues. He said they cannot presume to tell business people what is best for them.
"We want to get advice, but in a structured way," he said. "People have different frames of reference. We need a well-communicated plan."
His own opinion is that Erin should pursue moderate growth. "When you don't grow, you decline," he said.
If the Town proceeds with the BR+E program, it will help the community build up a data base that identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A team of volunteers would be trained to conduct the confidential survey and a task force of community leaders assembled to analyze and summarize the key needs and issues facing the business sector. The process builds partnerships and helps the Town develop specific actions to improve the business climate.
In other Ontario towns, this has included improved municipal approval processes, more effective tourism marketing, goals for new infrastructure, and training programs for skills development and customer service. More information on this and other Rural Economic Development Programs is available from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: www.reddi.gov.on.ca, or email: bre@omafra.gov.on.ca.
The Economic Development Committee's best known project has been the successful Home & Lifestyle Show, now in its sixth year. It will be held Saturday, May 1 at Centre 2000, 10 am to 4 pm, with admission $2 for adults. The Rotary Club will help staff the show this year. Gentles is expecting more than 800 visitors, checking out 80-90 booths. Businesses can register until March 31 – go to www.erin.ca, call (519) 855-6683 or email: ewintersinger@hotmail.com.
The committee is also reviving the idea of hosting informal business breakfast meetings, including guest speakers. The first one is planned for May.
In a related development, former Town Councillor Mary Shields has been working towards launching the East Wellington Chamber of Commerce, which will encompass Erin and Guelph/Eramosa (Rockwood). It would be independent of the Town, the BIA and the Economic Development Committee, though there are overlapping interests.
It sounds like a good idea, worthy of some enthusiasm and cooperation to get it started. Chambers of Commerce are voluntary associations of business and professional people working to strengthen the community. Unlike Business Improvement Areas, they are not supported by a surcharge on municipal business taxes. They act as a voice to government and the media for the broader business community.
The new Chamber will host a sign-up night for businesses that may be interested in becoming founding members. It will be at the Town of Erin offices on Trafalgar Road on Tuesday, March 30, 7:30-8:30 pm. For details, contact Acting Executive Director Mary Shields, 519-941-9419, or mary.shields@sympatico.ca.
For an idea of how it could work, take a look at what Georgetown and Acton are doing through the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce. The organization gives businesses exposure on the internet and through directories, including a quarterly newsletter published by The Independent & Free Press.
It offers group insurance and on-line business training, provides social/networking groups, including Halton Hills Women in Business, runs events such as the Halton Hills Home and Leisure Show, does tourism promotion, and gives out various awards. The group has been a business advocate since 1912, getting involved in local and provincial/national issues and providing a link to the Ontario and Canadian Chambers of Commerce.
Annual membership costs range from $212 for firms with 1-4 employees, to $630 for those with more than 200 employees. Check it out at www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca.
Erin's Economic Development Committee is hoping to get more advice on how the town's business climate can be improved.
Preliminary assessment is being done on a questionnaire that could end up going to every business in Erin. It is part of an Ontario government program called Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E), designed to help communities attract and keep the type of development that they want.
"It is potentially a huge project," said Brian Gentles, who recently took over as chair of the committee, which advises Town Council on business issues. He said they cannot presume to tell business people what is best for them.
"We want to get advice, but in a structured way," he said. "People have different frames of reference. We need a well-communicated plan."
His own opinion is that Erin should pursue moderate growth. "When you don't grow, you decline," he said.
If the Town proceeds with the BR+E program, it will help the community build up a data base that identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A team of volunteers would be trained to conduct the confidential survey and a task force of community leaders assembled to analyze and summarize the key needs and issues facing the business sector. The process builds partnerships and helps the Town develop specific actions to improve the business climate.
In other Ontario towns, this has included improved municipal approval processes, more effective tourism marketing, goals for new infrastructure, and training programs for skills development and customer service. More information on this and other Rural Economic Development Programs is available from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: www.reddi.gov.on.ca, or email: bre@omafra.gov.on.ca.
The Economic Development Committee's best known project has been the successful Home & Lifestyle Show, now in its sixth year. It will be held Saturday, May 1 at Centre 2000, 10 am to 4 pm, with admission $2 for adults. The Rotary Club will help staff the show this year. Gentles is expecting more than 800 visitors, checking out 80-90 booths. Businesses can register until March 31 – go to www.erin.ca, call (519) 855-6683 or email: ewintersinger@hotmail.com.
The committee is also reviving the idea of hosting informal business breakfast meetings, including guest speakers. The first one is planned for May.
In a related development, former Town Councillor Mary Shields has been working towards launching the East Wellington Chamber of Commerce, which will encompass Erin and Guelph/Eramosa (Rockwood). It would be independent of the Town, the BIA and the Economic Development Committee, though there are overlapping interests.
It sounds like a good idea, worthy of some enthusiasm and cooperation to get it started. Chambers of Commerce are voluntary associations of business and professional people working to strengthen the community. Unlike Business Improvement Areas, they are not supported by a surcharge on municipal business taxes. They act as a voice to government and the media for the broader business community.
The new Chamber will host a sign-up night for businesses that may be interested in becoming founding members. It will be at the Town of Erin offices on Trafalgar Road on Tuesday, March 30, 7:30-8:30 pm. For details, contact Acting Executive Director Mary Shields, 519-941-9419, or mary.shields@sympatico.ca.
For an idea of how it could work, take a look at what Georgetown and Acton are doing through the Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce. The organization gives businesses exposure on the internet and through directories, including a quarterly newsletter published by The Independent & Free Press.
It offers group insurance and on-line business training, provides social/networking groups, including Halton Hills Women in Business, runs events such as the Halton Hills Home and Leisure Show, does tourism promotion, and gives out various awards. The group has been a business advocate since 1912, getting involved in local and provincial/national issues and providing a link to the Ontario and Canadian Chambers of Commerce.
Annual membership costs range from $212 for firms with 1-4 employees, to $630 for those with more than 200 employees. Check it out at www.haltonhillschamber.on.ca.
March 17, 2010
Who really cares about protecting fresh water?
As published in The Erin Advocate
The Credit River is pleasant to behold, so as long as it doesn't dry up or catch on fire, it is easy to treat it as just part of the scenery. Here in Erin, since we are have the privilege of living in a headwaters area, we should be concerned with protecting the mix of wetlands, aquifers and streams that give life to our river.
"When you look around the world, you realize how precious fresh water is," said Andrew McCammon of the Ontario Headwaters Institute, speaking at a recent community workshop at the Terra Cotta Conservation Area.
He warned that climate change could reduce water flows, killing off a high percentage of fish and other wildlife in the Credit. His group urges the Ontario government to strengthen environmental policies, which control the work of conservation authorities, municipalities and developers.
"The function of a river is not just to move water off the land – it's much more," said Bob Morris, an aquatic biologist with Credit Valley Conservation. The CVC works to keep the river clean and cold, with the right mix of nutrients and sediment to support wildlife.
As land is developed for human activities, it is no longer acceptable to simply channel small streams into underground pipes and pave over large areas that allow water to seep into the earth.
"How many roots can we cut off a tree before it dies? It's the same for rivers," said Morris. He will be the guest speaker tomorrow night (Thursday) at the Erin Legion, at the FAST Forward environmental film series, presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin and the CVC. The film is Waterlife: The Story of the Last Great Supply of Drinking Water on Earth, about preservation of the Great Lakes ecosystem. It starts at 7 pm and admission is free.
The public is not always enthusiastic about preserving natural treasures. Late in the previous century, when it became common knowledge that Erin's septic waste was a serious source of pollution, there was little public concern. If enough people cared about the Credit, the problem would have been solved long ago. Environmental awareness has been taught in our schools for a long time now, but we seem to have little to show for it.
Inconvenience is more likely to stir people up than environmental damage. I cannot agree with those who would preserve the Hillsburgh Transfer Station, a leaking pile of garbage that should have been shut down 20 years ago.
The opposition to the Rockfort quarry shows how the public can be mobilized for a clear-cut cause. Erin's need for a septic sewer system, however, is more complicated, because it will involve major costs, affect future growth and require a treatment plant that will discharge into the Credit. Without strong support, the project could be put off indefinitely. Will Erin's environmentalists rally to that cause?
Education on environmental issues is key to attitude change, and one of the best ways to combine that with some fun and exercise is to get out into the natural environment. On Sunday, April 11, the CVC is holding a grand re-opening of the Terra Cotta Conservation Area, at 14452 Winston Churchill Boulevard.
It is not a return to the intensive recreational use of the 1970s and 80s, when the site was known for its campgrounds and huge outdoor pool. The focus now is on nature hikes, and events at the refurbished Watershed Learning Centre, where they have already started holding educational programs. The re-opening will include maple syrup demonstrations and wagon rides. Go to creditvalleyca.ca.
Admission is free that day, but normally it is a bit expensive if all you want to do is walk your dog for an hour. In peak seasons the cost is $4.75 per adult, $2.75 for children and seniors, and a maximum daily fee per vehicle of $20. I'd rather spend $55 on a 12-month membership ($45 for seniors, $100 per family), for unlimited admission to all the CVC Conservation Areas.
The CVC publishes an excellent 58-page booklet called Rising to the Challenge: A Handbook for Understanding and Protecting the Credit River Watershed. Well-illustrated and clearly-written, it provides basic scientific information and outlines issues at the political and household levels. Download a PDF version in the education section of the CVC website, or contact them for a printed copy.
The Credit River is pleasant to behold, so as long as it doesn't dry up or catch on fire, it is easy to treat it as just part of the scenery. Here in Erin, since we are have the privilege of living in a headwaters area, we should be concerned with protecting the mix of wetlands, aquifers and streams that give life to our river.
"When you look around the world, you realize how precious fresh water is," said Andrew McCammon of the Ontario Headwaters Institute, speaking at a recent community workshop at the Terra Cotta Conservation Area.
He warned that climate change could reduce water flows, killing off a high percentage of fish and other wildlife in the Credit. His group urges the Ontario government to strengthen environmental policies, which control the work of conservation authorities, municipalities and developers.
"The function of a river is not just to move water off the land – it's much more," said Bob Morris, an aquatic biologist with Credit Valley Conservation. The CVC works to keep the river clean and cold, with the right mix of nutrients and sediment to support wildlife.
As land is developed for human activities, it is no longer acceptable to simply channel small streams into underground pipes and pave over large areas that allow water to seep into the earth.
"How many roots can we cut off a tree before it dies? It's the same for rivers," said Morris. He will be the guest speaker tomorrow night (Thursday) at the Erin Legion, at the FAST Forward environmental film series, presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin and the CVC. The film is Waterlife: The Story of the Last Great Supply of Drinking Water on Earth, about preservation of the Great Lakes ecosystem. It starts at 7 pm and admission is free.
The public is not always enthusiastic about preserving natural treasures. Late in the previous century, when it became common knowledge that Erin's septic waste was a serious source of pollution, there was little public concern. If enough people cared about the Credit, the problem would have been solved long ago. Environmental awareness has been taught in our schools for a long time now, but we seem to have little to show for it.
Inconvenience is more likely to stir people up than environmental damage. I cannot agree with those who would preserve the Hillsburgh Transfer Station, a leaking pile of garbage that should have been shut down 20 years ago.
The opposition to the Rockfort quarry shows how the public can be mobilized for a clear-cut cause. Erin's need for a septic sewer system, however, is more complicated, because it will involve major costs, affect future growth and require a treatment plant that will discharge into the Credit. Without strong support, the project could be put off indefinitely. Will Erin's environmentalists rally to that cause?
Education on environmental issues is key to attitude change, and one of the best ways to combine that with some fun and exercise is to get out into the natural environment. On Sunday, April 11, the CVC is holding a grand re-opening of the Terra Cotta Conservation Area, at 14452 Winston Churchill Boulevard.
It is not a return to the intensive recreational use of the 1970s and 80s, when the site was known for its campgrounds and huge outdoor pool. The focus now is on nature hikes, and events at the refurbished Watershed Learning Centre, where they have already started holding educational programs. The re-opening will include maple syrup demonstrations and wagon rides. Go to creditvalleyca.ca.
Admission is free that day, but normally it is a bit expensive if all you want to do is walk your dog for an hour. In peak seasons the cost is $4.75 per adult, $2.75 for children and seniors, and a maximum daily fee per vehicle of $20. I'd rather spend $55 on a 12-month membership ($45 for seniors, $100 per family), for unlimited admission to all the CVC Conservation Areas.
The CVC publishes an excellent 58-page booklet called Rising to the Challenge: A Handbook for Understanding and Protecting the Credit River Watershed. Well-illustrated and clearly-written, it provides basic scientific information and outlines issues at the political and household levels. Download a PDF version in the education section of the CVC website, or contact them for a printed copy.
March 10, 2010
Sports groups launch registration blitz
As published in The Erin Advocate
On Erin's smorgasbord of organized fun, perhaps the most eccentric option is Rocketry. On two Saturdays this summer, Erin Hoops offers budding scientists the chance to build and fly their own rockets, for just $30.
Erin Hoops has expanded its selection of summer camps to 32 this year, with a different mix of activities every week. Most are $45 for the whole week, 9 am to 4 pm, with choices that include basketball, baseball, soccer, skateboarding, tennis, floor hockey, badminton, lazer tag, dance, archery, kites, golf and crafts.
"It offers a broader range for kids," said organizer Patrick Suessmuth, at the February 27 sign-up fair hosted by the Town of Erin Recreation and Culture Committee. Erin Hoops also has a March Break Variety Sports Camp, with supervision from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Go to erinhoops.ca or call 519-833-2058.
Many children now get into organized sports even before they get into kindergarten. The Hillsburgh Minor Softball Association has their Peanuts group (for kids born in 2006) or T-Ball (2004-2005) for just $40. "It is set up to be fun, and the kids learn together," said Peanut and T-Ball Convenor Doug Todd.
Registration fees range up to $115 for teens. There will also be a Pitching Clinic, April 26-28, with separate sessions for beginners, intermediates and seniors. For more details, go to hillsburghminorsoftball.ca.
Hillsburgh Erin And District Soccer (HEADS) had more than 800 players last year. Early bird registration rates are in effect until March 15, ranging from $90 for the Under 5s to $155 for older groups (family maximum $420). Regular rates are $120 to $200 (family maximum $550). There is a Let Our Kids Play fund to help families who cannot afford the fees.
Debby Gear of HEADS has been impressed with the number of adults willing to coach and take on other duties. "It's nice when you live in a town where everyone works together," she said.
There will be another soccer sign-up session on Saturday, March 20, 10 am to 1 pm in the Centre 2000 lobby. For forms and more details, got to headsoccer.ca or call their office line, 519-855-4431.
The Erin Tennis Club is expanding its schedule of events and training. The membership cost is the same as last year: $140 per family, or $85 for adults and $50 for juniors (17 and under).
Members do not have to pay additional fees for regular court use or club activities, such as the summer junior program on Tuesday mornings. Membership also includes four free lessons (for both adults and kids), but there are fees for additional lessons.
Junior Spring After School Clinics are $80 for eight one-hour sessions. Half-day summer camp sessions (1-4 pm) are $115 per week, but families can apply to have the cost waived. There will also be a Competitive Player Development Program.
Everyone is invited to a free Try Tennis Day on April 17 at the courts, located behind Centre 2000. For more information on the club, call Brian Gentles, 519-833-9715.
New club pro Doug Ing of No Limits Coaching is starting a Munchkin Tennis class for ages 5 and 6, emphasizing fundamental movement skills. Using smaller racquets, smaller courts and slower balls at first, players progress in stages to regular tennis.
"There is no better way to ensure proper tennis development," said Ing, in his newsletter. "The focus is on physical activity, safety and tennis FUNdamentals. We don't emphasize competition for small children."
About 100 families registered for one thing or another at the fair. While it was mostly for sports, though there were two booths dedicated to reading, one from the Wellington County Library (www.wclib.ca) promoting their pirate-themed events for March Break and one from Barbara McKee of Tutor in the Hills, 519-927-01010. There was also a display on Erin's walking trails – call Steve Revell at 519-833-2571 for more information.
On Erin's smorgasbord of organized fun, perhaps the most eccentric option is Rocketry. On two Saturdays this summer, Erin Hoops offers budding scientists the chance to build and fly their own rockets, for just $30.
Erin Hoops has expanded its selection of summer camps to 32 this year, with a different mix of activities every week. Most are $45 for the whole week, 9 am to 4 pm, with choices that include basketball, baseball, soccer, skateboarding, tennis, floor hockey, badminton, lazer tag, dance, archery, kites, golf and crafts.
"It offers a broader range for kids," said organizer Patrick Suessmuth, at the February 27 sign-up fair hosted by the Town of Erin Recreation and Culture Committee. Erin Hoops also has a March Break Variety Sports Camp, with supervision from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Go to erinhoops.ca or call 519-833-2058.
Many children now get into organized sports even before they get into kindergarten. The Hillsburgh Minor Softball Association has their Peanuts group (for kids born in 2006) or T-Ball (2004-2005) for just $40. "It is set up to be fun, and the kids learn together," said Peanut and T-Ball Convenor Doug Todd.
Registration fees range up to $115 for teens. There will also be a Pitching Clinic, April 26-28, with separate sessions for beginners, intermediates and seniors. For more details, go to hillsburghminorsoftball.ca.
Hillsburgh Erin And District Soccer (HEADS) had more than 800 players last year. Early bird registration rates are in effect until March 15, ranging from $90 for the Under 5s to $155 for older groups (family maximum $420). Regular rates are $120 to $200 (family maximum $550). There is a Let Our Kids Play fund to help families who cannot afford the fees.
Debby Gear of HEADS has been impressed with the number of adults willing to coach and take on other duties. "It's nice when you live in a town where everyone works together," she said.
There will be another soccer sign-up session on Saturday, March 20, 10 am to 1 pm in the Centre 2000 lobby. For forms and more details, got to headsoccer.ca or call their office line, 519-855-4431.
The Erin Tennis Club is expanding its schedule of events and training. The membership cost is the same as last year: $140 per family, or $85 for adults and $50 for juniors (17 and under).
Members do not have to pay additional fees for regular court use or club activities, such as the summer junior program on Tuesday mornings. Membership also includes four free lessons (for both adults and kids), but there are fees for additional lessons.
Junior Spring After School Clinics are $80 for eight one-hour sessions. Half-day summer camp sessions (1-4 pm) are $115 per week, but families can apply to have the cost waived. There will also be a Competitive Player Development Program.
Everyone is invited to a free Try Tennis Day on April 17 at the courts, located behind Centre 2000. For more information on the club, call Brian Gentles, 519-833-9715.
New club pro Doug Ing of No Limits Coaching is starting a Munchkin Tennis class for ages 5 and 6, emphasizing fundamental movement skills. Using smaller racquets, smaller courts and slower balls at first, players progress in stages to regular tennis.
"There is no better way to ensure proper tennis development," said Ing, in his newsletter. "The focus is on physical activity, safety and tennis FUNdamentals. We don't emphasize competition for small children."
About 100 families registered for one thing or another at the fair. While it was mostly for sports, though there were two booths dedicated to reading, one from the Wellington County Library (www.wclib.ca) promoting their pirate-themed events for March Break and one from Barbara McKee of Tutor in the Hills, 519-927-01010. There was also a display on Erin's walking trails – call Steve Revell at 519-833-2571 for more information.
March 03, 2010
Volunteers needed to improve Erin trails
As published in The Erin Advocate
The view from the top of the water tower hill is a spectacular asset, now enjoyed by a relative few. If the Height of Land Trail could be converted to a loop route into the downtown core, with proper markings and educational signage, it would be something of which Erin could rightly be proud.
I mention that trail only because it is my favourite, but there are others in the village and elsewhere in Erin that need improvement, and I would gladly work on any of them.
There's a new effort being launched to plan and carry out trail upgrades in the Town, and volunteers are needed. Better trails would not only improve the walking experience for residents, but give the town an economic boost by making it a more attractive destination for visitors.
"If we want to build the community, we need connections," said Steve Revell, an avid hiker who has been involved with the Erin Trails Subcommittee. "We need planners and dreamers and schemers and workers."
He was speaking at the recent screening of the film Who Killed the Electric Car?, sponsored by Rob's Automotive Service, part of the Fast Forward environmental film festival presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC). It was a receptive audience for the trails message, and several people signed up to help.
Picking up on the car theme, Revell held up a pair of sturdy shoes. "These get good mileage, and use a variety of fuels," he said. While there were no details about emission controls, the point was clear: walking is great for both human health and the environment.
To find out more about the trails effort, call Revell at 519-833-2571, or the Town office at 519-855-4407. An informal meeting will be held to look at maps and discuss possibilities.
For those of us who depend on vehicles, but would love to part ways with gasoline, the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? was a discouraging chronicle of how oil and car companies, governments, inadequate technology and even consumers contributed to the death of the GM EV1 car in the 1990s.
While interesting, the film was too long and sentimental for my taste. It follows activists in their quest to stop GM from obsessively destroying virtually every electric vehicle it had put on the market. Fortunately, it is old news. Watch for Revenge of the Electric Car this year.
More interesting was the live presentation after the film by Ross McKenzie, Managing Director of the Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research at the University of Waterloo (watcar.uwaterloo.ca). Funded by governments and the auto industry, WatCAR has more than 300 researchers working on new fuels and ways to make vehicles lighter, safer, more "intelligent" and user-friendly.
Conditions are better now than in the 1990s for electric cars. Gas prices are higher, the public is more open to new technology, environmental concerns are more urgent, and car companies see innovation as a means to survival.
Recent electric cars include the Toronto-based ZENN (Zero Emissions No Noise), like a golf cart with a car shell, for short-distance, low-speed city driving only.
"The challenge is to downsize the battery without compromising performance or power storage," said McKenzie.
Commuters with "range anxiety" are more likely to go for something like the Chevy Volt, coming out late this year in the US. It uses both electricity and gasoline, but unlike other hybrids, all the power to the wheels is provided by the batteries. The small gas engine only kicks in as a generator to boost the batteries after you travel about 65 km, providing an uninterrupted range of about 500 km. The price has not been announced, but it is estimated at $40,000 US, minus possible tax credits.
A batteries-only car with more range and speed than the ZENN is the Mitsubishi i-Miev. It is now undergoing cold-weather testing (using the heater cuts the 160-km maximum range in half), but it won't be available here until next year. A full re-charging with 100-volt household current could take 14 hours, but new inventions in quick charging could cut that to less than an hour.
It looks like a Smart Car and sells in Japan for about $50,000 US, according to ConsumerReports.com. That's what I would expect to pay – for three or four used cars.
The view from the top of the water tower hill is a spectacular asset, now enjoyed by a relative few. If the Height of Land Trail could be converted to a loop route into the downtown core, with proper markings and educational signage, it would be something of which Erin could rightly be proud.
I mention that trail only because it is my favourite, but there are others in the village and elsewhere in Erin that need improvement, and I would gladly work on any of them.
There's a new effort being launched to plan and carry out trail upgrades in the Town, and volunteers are needed. Better trails would not only improve the walking experience for residents, but give the town an economic boost by making it a more attractive destination for visitors.
"If we want to build the community, we need connections," said Steve Revell, an avid hiker who has been involved with the Erin Trails Subcommittee. "We need planners and dreamers and schemers and workers."
He was speaking at the recent screening of the film Who Killed the Electric Car?, sponsored by Rob's Automotive Service, part of the Fast Forward environmental film festival presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC). It was a receptive audience for the trails message, and several people signed up to help.
Picking up on the car theme, Revell held up a pair of sturdy shoes. "These get good mileage, and use a variety of fuels," he said. While there were no details about emission controls, the point was clear: walking is great for both human health and the environment.
To find out more about the trails effort, call Revell at 519-833-2571, or the Town office at 519-855-4407. An informal meeting will be held to look at maps and discuss possibilities.
For those of us who depend on vehicles, but would love to part ways with gasoline, the 2006 documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? was a discouraging chronicle of how oil and car companies, governments, inadequate technology and even consumers contributed to the death of the GM EV1 car in the 1990s.
While interesting, the film was too long and sentimental for my taste. It follows activists in their quest to stop GM from obsessively destroying virtually every electric vehicle it had put on the market. Fortunately, it is old news. Watch for Revenge of the Electric Car this year.
More interesting was the live presentation after the film by Ross McKenzie, Managing Director of the Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research at the University of Waterloo (watcar.uwaterloo.ca). Funded by governments and the auto industry, WatCAR has more than 300 researchers working on new fuels and ways to make vehicles lighter, safer, more "intelligent" and user-friendly.
Conditions are better now than in the 1990s for electric cars. Gas prices are higher, the public is more open to new technology, environmental concerns are more urgent, and car companies see innovation as a means to survival.
Recent electric cars include the Toronto-based ZENN (Zero Emissions No Noise), like a golf cart with a car shell, for short-distance, low-speed city driving only.
"The challenge is to downsize the battery without compromising performance or power storage," said McKenzie.
Commuters with "range anxiety" are more likely to go for something like the Chevy Volt, coming out late this year in the US. It uses both electricity and gasoline, but unlike other hybrids, all the power to the wheels is provided by the batteries. The small gas engine only kicks in as a generator to boost the batteries after you travel about 65 km, providing an uninterrupted range of about 500 km. The price has not been announced, but it is estimated at $40,000 US, minus possible tax credits.
A batteries-only car with more range and speed than the ZENN is the Mitsubishi i-Miev. It is now undergoing cold-weather testing (using the heater cuts the 160-km maximum range in half), but it won't be available here until next year. A full re-charging with 100-volt household current could take 14 hours, but new inventions in quick charging could cut that to less than an hour.
It looks like a Smart Car and sells in Japan for about $50,000 US, according to ConsumerReports.com. That's what I would expect to pay – for three or four used cars.
February 24, 2010
Someone would have to pay dearly
The Advocate's Devil – Historical Flash Fiction
As published in The Erin Advocate
"This newspaper has to hit the street first thing Wednesday morning," said Wellington Hull. "Nobody goes home until it's done." The publisher of The Erin Advocate was a big fish in a very small pond, and tolerated no lollygagging.
"How long 'til we put this one to bed?" he said to Robert, the weasel who runs our new Linotype machine. To look at McNair, you'd wonder if he could even read, but he makes that machine fly, laying down six lines o' type per minute.
"Two hours, Mr. Hull, sooner if Ethan gets off his arse and fetches more type."
"Let the boy be. I'm going out. Auction's at one. Now get to work."
Hull bought the newspaper 16 years ago, two years after I was born. Here at the Advocate office above the Union Bank, at 128 Main, he also issues marriage licenses, runs his farm machinery auction business and takes pleasure in the influence he wields.
My name is Ethan Callaghan, born in County Cork but shipped to Erin; a papist in a village named for Ireland, but run by Protestants, mainly Scotsmen. A Roman Catholic church will never be built here in my lifetime. Not that I care. The meek take comfort in sermons and incense; I prefer mine straight from the bottle.
I'm what they call a devil – a printer's devil. A lowly apprentice. Hands blackened from mixing tubs of ink. Emptier of the Hell Box, filled with broken lead type for the furnace. Whipping boy if ads appear upside down. Mark Twain was a printer's devil, and I'm going to be a writer too, if I can escape this godforsaken place. Until then I'm just the Advocate's devil, trying to stay warm and well-fed.
Finally, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1910 has been set, proofed and locked down for printing. Nothing too exciting. An obituary for old man Sutton, 89, a loyal Methodist. Township council met at the Grand Central Hotel in Hillsburgh and paid its bills, including $7.84 for gravel from Robert W. Tarswell, the sawmill operator and Mormon preacher from Cedar Valley. The cost of living is up. Elephants have run amuck in San Francisco. Egyptian premier Boutros Ghali was shot by a nationalist student.
On Page 2, another dreary chapter of "Maude De Vere; or, the New Mistress at Laurel Hill". Fiction has no place in a modern newspaper. Almost as offensive as our weekly bible lesson.
Back on schedule, McNair and the crew have slipped across the street for "lunch" at the Globe Hotel before starting the press run, leaving me alone to tend the shop. Ben Mundell walked in. "Yes, Mr. Mundell. No sir. Yes sir, I will tell him." Like Hull, he had the swagger of a wheeler-dealer. I thought of the mansion he had built for Dr. Gear.
My older brother Connor works among the flapping drive belts and whirling blades at Mundell's planing factory, down where the Credit turns. Maybe we could both get work swinging a hammer this summer. With so many fires, there was always building to be done.
Hull's daughter Ella came by with her friend Edna Campbell. Both were 16, and unable to finish a sentence without breaking into fits of giggling. Ella had a mischievous glint, but kept herself prim. Edna had a wild streak that was barely concealed. Like me, she was of a lower class – but unlike me, she was content with it.
I went down to the press, all set up with a sheet of paper up on the platen. I rolled some ink over the raised type on the flatbed. I wasn't supposed to touch it on my own, but I had seen the pressmen work it hundreds of times, and helped with preparation and cleanup. Just a few copies. Just a little fun on a boring day.
I turned the drive wheel and the paper flew down, was pressed against the type and whipped up again. One poor copy. A few more, as I fed paper and the rollers automatically laid fresh ink. Clackity-clack. Clackity-clack. Then a clunk and a low grinding.
The press was jammed, and the crew would be back soon. I tried to reverse it, to no avail. I put a crowbar to the gears, and they moved a bit. I reached with my right hand to lift the platen, while pressing the crowbar with the left, and suddenly the mechanism came free. Off balance, I stumbled towards the gears as the press finished its cycle. A lightning bolt of pain shot up my left arm.
Lying on the grimy floor, I saw my hand had turned from black to red. I was lucky. Only the baby finger was missing. Slipping into shock, I wasn't thinking about how reckless I had been. I felt only a rage against this place and the people who put me here. I comforted myself with a vow that someone would have to pay dearly for this. Then I slept.
* * *
Meanwhile, back in 2010...this has been an experiment in flash fiction, also known as the short, short story. It is a mix of real people like Hull, a real newspaper from exactly 100 years ago, imagined characters like Callaghan and events that might have been.
As published in The Erin Advocate
"This newspaper has to hit the street first thing Wednesday morning," said Wellington Hull. "Nobody goes home until it's done." The publisher of The Erin Advocate was a big fish in a very small pond, and tolerated no lollygagging.
"How long 'til we put this one to bed?" he said to Robert, the weasel who runs our new Linotype machine. To look at McNair, you'd wonder if he could even read, but he makes that machine fly, laying down six lines o' type per minute.
"Two hours, Mr. Hull, sooner if Ethan gets off his arse and fetches more type."
"Let the boy be. I'm going out. Auction's at one. Now get to work."
Hull bought the newspaper 16 years ago, two years after I was born. Here at the Advocate office above the Union Bank, at 128 Main, he also issues marriage licenses, runs his farm machinery auction business and takes pleasure in the influence he wields.
My name is Ethan Callaghan, born in County Cork but shipped to Erin; a papist in a village named for Ireland, but run by Protestants, mainly Scotsmen. A Roman Catholic church will never be built here in my lifetime. Not that I care. The meek take comfort in sermons and incense; I prefer mine straight from the bottle.
I'm what they call a devil – a printer's devil. A lowly apprentice. Hands blackened from mixing tubs of ink. Emptier of the Hell Box, filled with broken lead type for the furnace. Whipping boy if ads appear upside down. Mark Twain was a printer's devil, and I'm going to be a writer too, if I can escape this godforsaken place. Until then I'm just the Advocate's devil, trying to stay warm and well-fed.
Finally, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1910 has been set, proofed and locked down for printing. Nothing too exciting. An obituary for old man Sutton, 89, a loyal Methodist. Township council met at the Grand Central Hotel in Hillsburgh and paid its bills, including $7.84 for gravel from Robert W. Tarswell, the sawmill operator and Mormon preacher from Cedar Valley. The cost of living is up. Elephants have run amuck in San Francisco. Egyptian premier Boutros Ghali was shot by a nationalist student.
On Page 2, another dreary chapter of "Maude De Vere; or, the New Mistress at Laurel Hill". Fiction has no place in a modern newspaper. Almost as offensive as our weekly bible lesson.
Back on schedule, McNair and the crew have slipped across the street for "lunch" at the Globe Hotel before starting the press run, leaving me alone to tend the shop. Ben Mundell walked in. "Yes, Mr. Mundell. No sir. Yes sir, I will tell him." Like Hull, he had the swagger of a wheeler-dealer. I thought of the mansion he had built for Dr. Gear.
My older brother Connor works among the flapping drive belts and whirling blades at Mundell's planing factory, down where the Credit turns. Maybe we could both get work swinging a hammer this summer. With so many fires, there was always building to be done.
Hull's daughter Ella came by with her friend Edna Campbell. Both were 16, and unable to finish a sentence without breaking into fits of giggling. Ella had a mischievous glint, but kept herself prim. Edna had a wild streak that was barely concealed. Like me, she was of a lower class – but unlike me, she was content with it.
I went down to the press, all set up with a sheet of paper up on the platen. I rolled some ink over the raised type on the flatbed. I wasn't supposed to touch it on my own, but I had seen the pressmen work it hundreds of times, and helped with preparation and cleanup. Just a few copies. Just a little fun on a boring day.
I turned the drive wheel and the paper flew down, was pressed against the type and whipped up again. One poor copy. A few more, as I fed paper and the rollers automatically laid fresh ink. Clackity-clack. Clackity-clack. Then a clunk and a low grinding.
The press was jammed, and the crew would be back soon. I tried to reverse it, to no avail. I put a crowbar to the gears, and they moved a bit. I reached with my right hand to lift the platen, while pressing the crowbar with the left, and suddenly the mechanism came free. Off balance, I stumbled towards the gears as the press finished its cycle. A lightning bolt of pain shot up my left arm.
Lying on the grimy floor, I saw my hand had turned from black to red. I was lucky. Only the baby finger was missing. Slipping into shock, I wasn't thinking about how reckless I had been. I felt only a rage against this place and the people who put me here. I comforted myself with a vow that someone would have to pay dearly for this. Then I slept.
* * *
Meanwhile, back in 2010...this has been an experiment in flash fiction, also known as the short, short story. It is a mix of real people like Hull, a real newspaper from exactly 100 years ago, imagined characters like Callaghan and events that might have been.
February 17, 2010
Health Team helps people fight diabetes
As published by The Erin Advocate
When diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, you may be motivated to do some things you should have been doing all along.
With diabetes, both prevention and treatment revolve around the good lifestyle habits that everyone knows about – eating healthy food, getting regular exercise and losing excess weight. Easier said than done of course, but the urgency may be absent because many people do not even know that they have diabetes.
"You cannot go by how you feel," said Pat White, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT). Even if there are no symptoms, people with specific risk factors should speak to their doctor about diabetes testing.
"Doctors are more aware and are very proactive," she said. "Once you know, you can improve your lifestyle."
She hosts sessions for Erin and Rockwood residents on Diabetes Prevention, Learning to Live with Type 2 Diabetes and Meal Planning (not just for diabetes). These events are free (your tax dollars at work), and open to all residents, even if they do not have a doctor at the local Health Team.
The Canadian Diabetes Association calls it an epidemic, with 285 million people affected world-wide – including 3 million Canadians. That is expected to hit 3.7 million by 2020, costing Canadian healthcare $17 billion annually. A US study projected that a North American child born in 2000 stands a one in three chance of being diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime.
People in wealthy nations are living longer, and obesity rates are climbing. Lifestyles are more sedentary, and we fall prey to the marketing of food that provides inadequate nourishment.
Type 1 or "juvenile" diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the hormone insulin, which regulates how the liver releases sugar to the body. Type 2 diabetes (90 per cent of cases) is a lack of insulin developing over time during adulthood, but now starting more often in teens. Preventive measures are especially important during the borderline state of pre-diabetes.
Here are the risk factors. Get tested if you: are more than 40 years old; have a parent or sibling with diabetes; are of Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African descent; are overweight; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or glucose problems; have had diabetes during pregnancy; have had a baby that weighed over nine pounds at birth; or have been diagnosed with a hormone imbalance called polycystic ovary syndrome, with acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin), or with schizophrenia.
Also get tested if you have: unusual thirst, frequent urination, unexpected weight gain or loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow-healing cuts, or sexual impotence.
Because high blood sugar is toxic to blood vessels and damages nerves, complications can happen throughout the body, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease, vision loss and serious circulation problems. Smoking accelerates the complications. Visit www.diabetes.ca.
When diet and exercise cannot control the condition, it may be necessary to take insulin, or other medications, which can be expensive. Self-testing with a glucose meter and other regular testing, plus specific diet control is often needed to keep glucose levels in a safe range.
The good news is that a long and healthy life is an excellent possibility for diabetics – all the more reason to deal with the reality of a problem in its early stages. Do not wait until serious damage has occurred.
Local seminars are held at the EWFHT office in Erin, 18 Thompson Cres., or at the Rockwood clinic. Call 519-833-7576 or go to www.ewfht.ca for details.
When diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, you may be motivated to do some things you should have been doing all along.
With diabetes, both prevention and treatment revolve around the good lifestyle habits that everyone knows about – eating healthy food, getting regular exercise and losing excess weight. Easier said than done of course, but the urgency may be absent because many people do not even know that they have diabetes.
"You cannot go by how you feel," said Pat White, a Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator with the East Wellington Family Health Team (EWFHT). Even if there are no symptoms, people with specific risk factors should speak to their doctor about diabetes testing.
"Doctors are more aware and are very proactive," she said. "Once you know, you can improve your lifestyle."
She hosts sessions for Erin and Rockwood residents on Diabetes Prevention, Learning to Live with Type 2 Diabetes and Meal Planning (not just for diabetes). These events are free (your tax dollars at work), and open to all residents, even if they do not have a doctor at the local Health Team.
The Canadian Diabetes Association calls it an epidemic, with 285 million people affected world-wide – including 3 million Canadians. That is expected to hit 3.7 million by 2020, costing Canadian healthcare $17 billion annually. A US study projected that a North American child born in 2000 stands a one in three chance of being diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime.
People in wealthy nations are living longer, and obesity rates are climbing. Lifestyles are more sedentary, and we fall prey to the marketing of food that provides inadequate nourishment.
Type 1 or "juvenile" diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the hormone insulin, which regulates how the liver releases sugar to the body. Type 2 diabetes (90 per cent of cases) is a lack of insulin developing over time during adulthood, but now starting more often in teens. Preventive measures are especially important during the borderline state of pre-diabetes.
Here are the risk factors. Get tested if you: are more than 40 years old; have a parent or sibling with diabetes; are of Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian or African descent; are overweight; have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or glucose problems; have had diabetes during pregnancy; have had a baby that weighed over nine pounds at birth; or have been diagnosed with a hormone imbalance called polycystic ovary syndrome, with acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin), or with schizophrenia.
Also get tested if you have: unusual thirst, frequent urination, unexpected weight gain or loss, extreme fatigue, blurred vision, frequent infections, slow-healing cuts, or sexual impotence.
Because high blood sugar is toxic to blood vessels and damages nerves, complications can happen throughout the body, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease, vision loss and serious circulation problems. Smoking accelerates the complications. Visit www.diabetes.ca.
When diet and exercise cannot control the condition, it may be necessary to take insulin, or other medications, which can be expensive. Self-testing with a glucose meter and other regular testing, plus specific diet control is often needed to keep glucose levels in a safe range.
The good news is that a long and healthy life is an excellent possibility for diabetics – all the more reason to deal with the reality of a problem in its early stages. Do not wait until serious damage has occurred.
Local seminars are held at the EWFHT office in Erin, 18 Thompson Cres., or at the Rockwood clinic. Call 519-833-7576 or go to www.ewfht.ca for details.
February 10, 2010
Nash makes a splash at downtown concert
As published in The Erin Advocate
People look at me kinda funny when I tell them I'm a fan of folk music. Sometimes I think it is a look of pity for an old fart whose musical tastes got stuck in the '60s, which is of course totally untrue. More often they just have no clear idea of what folk music is.
Mainstream radio stations will not play even the best of it, since they do not believe there is a large enough audience, and even CBC Radio 2, which is sympathetic, steers more towards pop on its morning and afternoon commuter shows.
Folk has been known for centuries in Europe as music of the lower classes, played with simple instruments and passed on by tradition. In North America it now encompasses a wide range of acoustic instruments, avoiding high-tech production and often giving emphasis to thoughtful lyrics.
It is actually the lack of clear boundaries that endears the genre to many fans, who are willing to go out of their way to hear today's top performers. It is a special pleasure when one of them comes to your own town.
Jory Nash has six albums to his credit, is well-known at many Toronto clubs, gets airplay on CBC, plays events like the Hillside Festival in Guelph and takes his show on the road across North America. He was the main act at a January 29 concert held at the Paul Morin Gallery, sponsored by Erin Radio.
Julian Petti from Palgrave started the evening off with some strong, rhythmic guitar, and bluesy finger picking on songs like, Leave the Light On. You can check him out on myspace.com and see his Echo Bay recording sessions in Algonquin Park on YouTube.
A lively instrumental set was provided by WhirlyGig, a dance/celtic band from the Guelph area, based at Celtic College (riversidecelticcollege.ca). With Irene Shelton on piano, Carolyn Buck on fiddle, Jakob McCauley on bodhran and Eva McCauley on mandolin, fiddle and concertina, we were treated to a wide variety of jigs, reels and even polkas. Unfortunately, with about 65 people in attendance, there was no room to dance.
Jory Nash is an independent who labels his style as a mix of folk, acoustic, country, jazz, pop, blues, soul and storytelling. He plays the guitar, piano and five-string banjo. His fingerpicking style is confident and precise, without being flowery or overbearing.
From the second he presents himself, you get an upbeat feeling. His sound is happy and friendly – even when singing about the recession in It Don't Add Up. And although he has plenty of good songs of his own, he recognizes the appeal of covering old standards, like the jazzy Fly Me To The Moon, or Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears.
The audience was chatty as they sipped their wine and snacked on apple bread cheese from Spirit Tree Cidery in Caledon. But with a combination of funny stories, a light, soaring voice and a guitar style that was often spare and haunting, Nash ultimately had everyone's full attention. He had people laughing with Spaz Loves Weezie, singing along with My Girl, and thinking hard with Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come.
It is always worth the effort to seek out talented performers who have not yet struck it rich with commercial hits. They are never just coasting, and are not stuck on one style. They are willing to play in small towns, and are working hard to provide good entertainment. This was an excellent event, and here's hoping Erin has many more like it.
Here are a few more websites to check in your spare time: myspace.com/jorynash; jorynash.com; and maplemusic.com.
People look at me kinda funny when I tell them I'm a fan of folk music. Sometimes I think it is a look of pity for an old fart whose musical tastes got stuck in the '60s, which is of course totally untrue. More often they just have no clear idea of what folk music is.
Mainstream radio stations will not play even the best of it, since they do not believe there is a large enough audience, and even CBC Radio 2, which is sympathetic, steers more towards pop on its morning and afternoon commuter shows.
Folk has been known for centuries in Europe as music of the lower classes, played with simple instruments and passed on by tradition. In North America it now encompasses a wide range of acoustic instruments, avoiding high-tech production and often giving emphasis to thoughtful lyrics.
It is actually the lack of clear boundaries that endears the genre to many fans, who are willing to go out of their way to hear today's top performers. It is a special pleasure when one of them comes to your own town.
Jory Nash has six albums to his credit, is well-known at many Toronto clubs, gets airplay on CBC, plays events like the Hillside Festival in Guelph and takes his show on the road across North America. He was the main act at a January 29 concert held at the Paul Morin Gallery, sponsored by Erin Radio.
Julian Petti from Palgrave started the evening off with some strong, rhythmic guitar, and bluesy finger picking on songs like, Leave the Light On. You can check him out on myspace.com and see his Echo Bay recording sessions in Algonquin Park on YouTube.
A lively instrumental set was provided by WhirlyGig, a dance/celtic band from the Guelph area, based at Celtic College (riversidecelticcollege.ca). With Irene Shelton on piano, Carolyn Buck on fiddle, Jakob McCauley on bodhran and Eva McCauley on mandolin, fiddle and concertina, we were treated to a wide variety of jigs, reels and even polkas. Unfortunately, with about 65 people in attendance, there was no room to dance.
Jory Nash is an independent who labels his style as a mix of folk, acoustic, country, jazz, pop, blues, soul and storytelling. He plays the guitar, piano and five-string banjo. His fingerpicking style is confident and precise, without being flowery or overbearing.
From the second he presents himself, you get an upbeat feeling. His sound is happy and friendly – even when singing about the recession in It Don't Add Up. And although he has plenty of good songs of his own, he recognizes the appeal of covering old standards, like the jazzy Fly Me To The Moon, or Smokey Robinson's Tracks of My Tears.
The audience was chatty as they sipped their wine and snacked on apple bread cheese from Spirit Tree Cidery in Caledon. But with a combination of funny stories, a light, soaring voice and a guitar style that was often spare and haunting, Nash ultimately had everyone's full attention. He had people laughing with Spaz Loves Weezie, singing along with My Girl, and thinking hard with Sam Cooke's A Change is Gonna Come.
It is always worth the effort to seek out talented performers who have not yet struck it rich with commercial hits. They are never just coasting, and are not stuck on one style. They are willing to play in small towns, and are working hard to provide good entertainment. This was an excellent event, and here's hoping Erin has many more like it.
Here are a few more websites to check in your spare time: myspace.com/jorynash; jorynash.com; and maplemusic.com.
February 03, 2010
Stirring up memories of the 1940s
As published in The Erin Advocate
Erin's Main Street has seen many changes in the last 66 years, and Eleanor Lougheed has had a good view of the progress – all through the same front window.
I sat down with her last week to find out what village life was like in the 1940s, and she had many fond memories of that era. She was born in Toronto, but later moved to a farm near Grand Valley, where she married Cliff Lougheed.
The couple moved to Erin in 1940 when Cliff went to work at Bob Lang's creamery, located with an egg grading station on the property now occupied by the LCBO outlet. They lived in the apartment above the creamery for four years, then moved across the street to the house where she still lives, just south of the river.
They put a lot of work into the place and there was never a good enough reason to move. They raised their son and two daughters there, becoming an integral part of the village.
"You knew everyone, and everyone knew you. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I live in the best place in the world, as far as I'm concerned," she said, though she does miss the days when the Advocate reported all the details of village social life.
In the morning, she would head out with a pail to pump good drinking water from a communal well. Many homes also had cisterns to collect rainwater for washing needs.
Outhouses were common in small-town Ontario, and it was not until 1957 that their family had an indoor bathroom, with water piped in from a well they shared with two other homes. A few years later when the road was torn up to build the water works, they were not pleased to learn they would have to pay for municipal water whether they hooked up or not.
"It was progress, and definitely needed – things can't stay the same," she said.
Cliff passed away five years ago. He preferred to work in the village, though he did haul poultry to Toronto for about ten years. He was well-known as an ice cream maker at Steen's Dairy, an ice maker at the Agricultural Building arena and a sharpener of skates.
Eleanor stays active with her flower and vegetable gardens, does her own housework, walks her dog Shadow twice a day, and keeps up on the news of the day.
She remembers when milk was delivered to the porch – you just left out your empty bottle, with money in it. As a member of the United Church congregation, she would not think of calling a minister by his first name – until the Reverend Jeff Davison changed that tradition.
In the '40s, they did not have a phone, so they would walk down to the phone company office (where the Valu-Mart parking lot is now) and pay to make their calls. During the war, families got a booklet of ration coupons that allowed them to buy limited quantities of meat, butter and sugar at the three grocery stores.
There was a blacksmith shop across the street, and where the Village Fish shop is now, there was a car repair garage on ground level, with shoes and boots manufactured upstairs. There was a bakery shop where the Mundell's parking lot is now, and a small library was set up in the front of the Mundell's store.
Erin's electric power had been generated at Church's Falls in Cataract since 1899, and Eleanor recalls paying their bill to the Caledon Electric Company, which was bought out by Ontario Hydro in 1944.
The Lougheeds had a grass tennis court behind their house, and their property extended to the top of what is now called the Water Tower Hill – they sold some land there so the tower could be built. The old village dump was on the other side of the hill.
For entertainment, there were plays and musical performances at the auditorium in the Village Hall at 109 Main Street (a village choir was open to all), but for movies, people had to drive to Guelph or Orangeville.
Of course, the Fall Fair on Thanksgiving Weekend was the event of the year, just as it had been since 1850. Fortunately, some things don't change.
Erin's Main Street has seen many changes in the last 66 years, and Eleanor Lougheed has had a good view of the progress – all through the same front window.
I sat down with her last week to find out what village life was like in the 1940s, and she had many fond memories of that era. She was born in Toronto, but later moved to a farm near Grand Valley, where she married Cliff Lougheed.
The couple moved to Erin in 1940 when Cliff went to work at Bob Lang's creamery, located with an egg grading station on the property now occupied by the LCBO outlet. They lived in the apartment above the creamery for four years, then moved across the street to the house where she still lives, just south of the river.
They put a lot of work into the place and there was never a good enough reason to move. They raised their son and two daughters there, becoming an integral part of the village.
"You knew everyone, and everyone knew you. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. I live in the best place in the world, as far as I'm concerned," she said, though she does miss the days when the Advocate reported all the details of village social life.
In the morning, she would head out with a pail to pump good drinking water from a communal well. Many homes also had cisterns to collect rainwater for washing needs.
Outhouses were common in small-town Ontario, and it was not until 1957 that their family had an indoor bathroom, with water piped in from a well they shared with two other homes. A few years later when the road was torn up to build the water works, they were not pleased to learn they would have to pay for municipal water whether they hooked up or not.
"It was progress, and definitely needed – things can't stay the same," she said.
Cliff passed away five years ago. He preferred to work in the village, though he did haul poultry to Toronto for about ten years. He was well-known as an ice cream maker at Steen's Dairy, an ice maker at the Agricultural Building arena and a sharpener of skates.
Eleanor stays active with her flower and vegetable gardens, does her own housework, walks her dog Shadow twice a day, and keeps up on the news of the day.
She remembers when milk was delivered to the porch – you just left out your empty bottle, with money in it. As a member of the United Church congregation, she would not think of calling a minister by his first name – until the Reverend Jeff Davison changed that tradition.
In the '40s, they did not have a phone, so they would walk down to the phone company office (where the Valu-Mart parking lot is now) and pay to make their calls. During the war, families got a booklet of ration coupons that allowed them to buy limited quantities of meat, butter and sugar at the three grocery stores.
There was a blacksmith shop across the street, and where the Village Fish shop is now, there was a car repair garage on ground level, with shoes and boots manufactured upstairs. There was a bakery shop where the Mundell's parking lot is now, and a small library was set up in the front of the Mundell's store.
Erin's electric power had been generated at Church's Falls in Cataract since 1899, and Eleanor recalls paying their bill to the Caledon Electric Company, which was bought out by Ontario Hydro in 1944.
The Lougheeds had a grass tennis court behind their house, and their property extended to the top of what is now called the Water Tower Hill – they sold some land there so the tower could be built. The old village dump was on the other side of the hill.
For entertainment, there were plays and musical performances at the auditorium in the Village Hall at 109 Main Street (a village choir was open to all), but for movies, people had to drive to Guelph or Orangeville.
Of course, the Fall Fair on Thanksgiving Weekend was the event of the year, just as it had been since 1850. Fortunately, some things don't change.
January 27, 2010
Ken Graham honoured for humanitarian dedication
As published in The Erin Advocate
When Ken Graham distributes bedkits for Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), he is bringing more than useful necessities to kids in developing countries. He is delivering a message from caring Canadians.
"It's a gift of love," he said, after receiving a Paul Harris Award from the Erin Rotary Club last Wednesday. "It is important that they realize that someone cares about them."
A farmer from the Coningsby area west of Erin village, Graham has made 16 trips abroad for SCAW. He has helped deliver 78,000 kits that include a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, towel, mosquito net where needed, school supplies and clothes.
Each donation of $35 provides one kit, with 100 per cent going to benefit the child (not to administration). That direct link was one of the things that inspired Graham and his late wife Ann to get involved, after hearing the founder of SCAW, Murray Dryden, speak at the Hillsburgh Christian Church (now the Century Church Theatre).
Since 1970, the Toronto-based group has raised more than $20 million, and recently provided its one-millionth bed kit. Countries benefiting include Bangladesh, India, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Togo, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Philippines. Find out more at www.scaw.org.
Graham was at the Rotary Club's annual Charter Night dinner meeting to accept a $1,000 donation from Rotary to SCAW. He was surprised to see his children and grandchildren arriving for the event, and when President Jim Miller announced the award he seemed quite overwhelmed.
"I feel like I'm doing what God wants me to do," he said. "It is an honour – thanks so much."
In a SCAW newsletter, Graham wrote about meeting parents in the Philippines in 2007: "Most parents hope their child will be fortunate enough to go to college. This is a good indication that providing a bedkit that contains things for a good night’s sleep, suitable clothing for school, and school supplies is helping not only the child but the whole family."
Graham is also known for his work with the Erin Agricultural Society, and as a deacon at Ospringe Presbyterian Church.
The certificate for the Harris award (named for a founder of Rotary) cites Graham's promotion of "better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world." The award recognizes a shared purpose with the humanitarian mission of the Rotary Foundation. Mayor Rod Finnie was on hand for the presentation at David's Restaurant, and there were letters of congratulation from MPP Ted Arnott and MP Mike Chong.
Rotary Clubs often support Sleeping Children, since both organizations share a dedication to helping people in need, regardless of race or religion. The Erin club is celebrating its 12th year of service, and is looking for new members. Like many groups, Rotary International has established a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. For more details: www.rotary.org.
As a footnote to my recent column about the Lacan Kwite bead makers of Northern Uganda, I got a message from Mike Simons of Orton, whose wife Miyeko supports similar enterprises in Africa. Her clothing and gift store Noinkee's, at 168B Broadway in Orangeville, carries Mined ReCreations handbags made from recycled fabrics, which provides education funding for young women in South Africa. They also sell woolen animal toy creations from the Kenana Knitters, a women's co-op in Kenya. For more details: www.noinkees.com.
When Ken Graham distributes bedkits for Sleeping Children Around the World (SCAW), he is bringing more than useful necessities to kids in developing countries. He is delivering a message from caring Canadians.
"It's a gift of love," he said, after receiving a Paul Harris Award from the Erin Rotary Club last Wednesday. "It is important that they realize that someone cares about them."
A farmer from the Coningsby area west of Erin village, Graham has made 16 trips abroad for SCAW. He has helped deliver 78,000 kits that include a mat or mattress, pillow, sheet, blanket, towel, mosquito net where needed, school supplies and clothes.
Each donation of $35 provides one kit, with 100 per cent going to benefit the child (not to administration). That direct link was one of the things that inspired Graham and his late wife Ann to get involved, after hearing the founder of SCAW, Murray Dryden, speak at the Hillsburgh Christian Church (now the Century Church Theatre).
Since 1970, the Toronto-based group has raised more than $20 million, and recently provided its one-millionth bed kit. Countries benefiting include Bangladesh, India, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Togo, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Philippines. Find out more at www.scaw.org.
Graham was at the Rotary Club's annual Charter Night dinner meeting to accept a $1,000 donation from Rotary to SCAW. He was surprised to see his children and grandchildren arriving for the event, and when President Jim Miller announced the award he seemed quite overwhelmed.
"I feel like I'm doing what God wants me to do," he said. "It is an honour – thanks so much."
In a SCAW newsletter, Graham wrote about meeting parents in the Philippines in 2007: "Most parents hope their child will be fortunate enough to go to college. This is a good indication that providing a bedkit that contains things for a good night’s sleep, suitable clothing for school, and school supplies is helping not only the child but the whole family."
Graham is also known for his work with the Erin Agricultural Society, and as a deacon at Ospringe Presbyterian Church.
The certificate for the Harris award (named for a founder of Rotary) cites Graham's promotion of "better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world." The award recognizes a shared purpose with the humanitarian mission of the Rotary Foundation. Mayor Rod Finnie was on hand for the presentation at David's Restaurant, and there were letters of congratulation from MPP Ted Arnott and MP Mike Chong.
Rotary Clubs often support Sleeping Children, since both organizations share a dedication to helping people in need, regardless of race or religion. The Erin club is celebrating its 12th year of service, and is looking for new members. Like many groups, Rotary International has established a Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund. For more details: www.rotary.org.
As a footnote to my recent column about the Lacan Kwite bead makers of Northern Uganda, I got a message from Mike Simons of Orton, whose wife Miyeko supports similar enterprises in Africa. Her clothing and gift store Noinkee's, at 168B Broadway in Orangeville, carries Mined ReCreations handbags made from recycled fabrics, which provides education funding for young women in South Africa. They also sell woolen animal toy creations from the Kenana Knitters, a women's co-op in Kenya. For more details: www.noinkees.com.
January 20, 2010
If music be the food of literacy, sing on
As published in The Erin Advocate
One of the best ways for children to develop their language skills is an activity that ranks high on the fun scale. Our brains are programmed to respond to music and our voices are voices are built to sing it out – when we get the right opportunity.
Family Literacy Day is coming up on January 27. The theme this year is Sing for Literacy, and there are several Erin events designed to promote better communication skills. Research has shown that music can be an effective tool for developing reading and writing ability, according to the ABC Canada Literacy Foundation.
"Singing together is a fun way to strengthen language skills, and an easy way to involve every family member," said ABC President Margaret Eaton.
Getting people to feel comfortable singing is a specialty for Betty Wise of Erin, a former teacher-librarian who is hosting Sing for Literacy sessions, for people of all ages. She starts out with simple chants and familiar snippets of melody that make it easy for everyone to chime in.
"It doesn't matter what your voice is like," she said. "Music is stimulating, it gets you energized – it gets more of your brain active."
Call to register for the events, to be held at the Erin Library this Saturday, January 23 at 10:30 am (519-833-9762), and at the Hillsburgh Library, January 30 at 10 am (519-855-4010). The libraries are also running the annual Family Literacy Bingo game, in which children complete various activities on the squares of a bingo card to win a prize.
The Bookends used book store, operated by East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) at 45 Main Street, is having a half-price sale on all books, January 23-30. Any child who comes to the store on January 27 will be allowed to choose a free book to take home.
Parents should read to their children from the day they are born, as one of the ways to stimulate their imagination. People develop as communicators, not only by speaking, reading and writing, but through touch, spirituality, visual art, music, academics, theatre and sports. Learning to play a musical instrument helps develop math skills through the study of structure and rhythm.
Music education in the school system is quite variable. It can be good, depending on the school budget, the priorities of the principal and the talents of teachers, but it often falls short of parents' hopes.
EWCS will present the eight-week program, The Moon is Round and Other Rhymes, at the Hillsburgh Library starting March 25. Caregivers will learn songs, rhymes, finger plays and lullabies for babies, birth to twelve months only. Call Marlene MacNevin at 519-833-9696, ext. 223 to register. There is no fee.
School-aged children are invited to the Paws for Literacy event at the Hillsburgh Library this Saturday, January 23, 1-3 pm. With the help of Spirit Ridge K9 Training and Rescue, young people read stories to dogs that have chosen for their calm temperament. Animals, of course, are a non-judgemental audience.
"It is amazing how kids take to the dogs," said Librarian Donna Revell. "It is the only program where boys outnumber the girls."
Boys the world over are slower than girls in improving their language ability, but there is debate about the nature of the problem. Are parents and schools overly concerned with promoting higher levels of skill at younger ages, possibly taking the fun out the process and setting kids up for frustration?
Is it beneficial to make kids sit still for long periods of time, when they might learn more by moving and doing things? Is there an over-emphasis on reading, at the expense of other forms of literacy? Maybe young boys need more things to read that match their interests, like comics, science fiction, sports and adventure.
For more information, try these websites:
familyliteracyday.ca
county.wellington.on.ca (libraries)
eastwellingtoncommunityservices.com
spiritridge.net
One of the best ways for children to develop their language skills is an activity that ranks high on the fun scale. Our brains are programmed to respond to music and our voices are voices are built to sing it out – when we get the right opportunity.
Family Literacy Day is coming up on January 27. The theme this year is Sing for Literacy, and there are several Erin events designed to promote better communication skills. Research has shown that music can be an effective tool for developing reading and writing ability, according to the ABC Canada Literacy Foundation.
"Singing together is a fun way to strengthen language skills, and an easy way to involve every family member," said ABC President Margaret Eaton.
Getting people to feel comfortable singing is a specialty for Betty Wise of Erin, a former teacher-librarian who is hosting Sing for Literacy sessions, for people of all ages. She starts out with simple chants and familiar snippets of melody that make it easy for everyone to chime in.
"It doesn't matter what your voice is like," she said. "Music is stimulating, it gets you energized – it gets more of your brain active."
Call to register for the events, to be held at the Erin Library this Saturday, January 23 at 10:30 am (519-833-9762), and at the Hillsburgh Library, January 30 at 10 am (519-855-4010). The libraries are also running the annual Family Literacy Bingo game, in which children complete various activities on the squares of a bingo card to win a prize.
The Bookends used book store, operated by East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) at 45 Main Street, is having a half-price sale on all books, January 23-30. Any child who comes to the store on January 27 will be allowed to choose a free book to take home.
Parents should read to their children from the day they are born, as one of the ways to stimulate their imagination. People develop as communicators, not only by speaking, reading and writing, but through touch, spirituality, visual art, music, academics, theatre and sports. Learning to play a musical instrument helps develop math skills through the study of structure and rhythm.
Music education in the school system is quite variable. It can be good, depending on the school budget, the priorities of the principal and the talents of teachers, but it often falls short of parents' hopes.
EWCS will present the eight-week program, The Moon is Round and Other Rhymes, at the Hillsburgh Library starting March 25. Caregivers will learn songs, rhymes, finger plays and lullabies for babies, birth to twelve months only. Call Marlene MacNevin at 519-833-9696, ext. 223 to register. There is no fee.
School-aged children are invited to the Paws for Literacy event at the Hillsburgh Library this Saturday, January 23, 1-3 pm. With the help of Spirit Ridge K9 Training and Rescue, young people read stories to dogs that have chosen for their calm temperament. Animals, of course, are a non-judgemental audience.
"It is amazing how kids take to the dogs," said Librarian Donna Revell. "It is the only program where boys outnumber the girls."
Boys the world over are slower than girls in improving their language ability, but there is debate about the nature of the problem. Are parents and schools overly concerned with promoting higher levels of skill at younger ages, possibly taking the fun out the process and setting kids up for frustration?
Is it beneficial to make kids sit still for long periods of time, when they might learn more by moving and doing things? Is there an over-emphasis on reading, at the expense of other forms of literacy? Maybe young boys need more things to read that match their interests, like comics, science fiction, sports and adventure.
For more information, try these websites:
familyliteracyday.ca
county.wellington.on.ca (libraries)
eastwellingtoncommunityservices.com
spiritridge.net
January 13, 2010
Watershed benefits estimated at $371 million
As published in The Erin Advocate
Most people know about financial "capital", the investments that drive our economy, as well as the term "natural resources", which includes timber and minerals that can be sold for a profit. Not in common use though is the concept of "natural capital", the value of services we get from our ecology.
"One of the key aspects of valuing ecological services is the idea that Mother Nature does for free what we would otherwise have to pay millions to do through technology and infrastructure," said Jeff Wilson, Ecological Goods and Services Project Coordinator at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
He co-authored a recent report by the Pembina Institute and CVC, which found that the Credit River Watershed provides annual services worth more than $371 million to area residents.
The study attaches dollar amounts to various benefits we draw from nature. For example, if our groundwater supply became compromised, it would cost about $100 million per year to pump the required water up from Lake Ontario – just to maintain current water use.
"Because the value of natural capital doesn't show up on anyone's balance sheet, we end up using ecological resources in very inefficient ways," said Mike Kennedy, Senior Resource Economist with the Pembina Institute, a national non-profit think tank that promotes sustainable energy solutions. "We know we are living beyond the limits of nature to sustain our population."
You can download the report at www.creditvalleycons.ca or the Pembina site, www.greeneconomics.ca, but it is mainly a message to the provincial and municipal governments (which fund the conservation authorities).
Politicians should indeed heed the trend by looking at the big, big picture when deciding if and how land should be developed. We need to do a lot more with the land that has already been converted to urban landscape, as well as reforesting and naturalizing degraded lands.
If we had inherited a treasure, and in fact lived on top of it, how would we react if someone wanted to buy pieces of it at less than its true worth? We might simply say it is not for sale, or at least demand full price for the asset. But if we did not realize the value of what lay beneath our feet, or considered it an endless supply of wealth, chances are we would sell it off at a much lower price.
The study is called Natural Credit: Estimating the Value of Natural Capital in the Credit River Watershed. The authors play upon the word "Crédit", the name given to the river by French fur traders who supplied goods to the native Mississaugas in advance (on credit), for furs to be provided the following spring.
The dollar amounts in the study are only rough estimates. The authors admit to "inherent weaknesses" in their methods, but say their estimates are "conservative". They are adamant about the validity of considering the economic consequences before natural features are lost.
"We act as though the bank of nature has unlimited assets, and we keep making withdrawals as if there is no tomorrow," the report says. "By accounting for natural capital we can start to align our economic ambitions with our ethical environmental responsibility – to provide future generations with at least the same benefits from nature that we enjoy."
Here are some examples of the natural capital values (per year):
• $186.8 million provided by wetlands, in the form of climate and water regulation, water supply, soil formation, nutrient cycling and waste treatment.
• $140.6 million provided by various types of forest, including atmospheric, climate and water regulation, recreation, wildlife habitat, pollination and waste treatment.
• $14.5 million provided by waterways, including recreation and benefits similar to wetlands.
• $29.2 million provided by meadows and farmlands, with benefits similar to forests.
The watershed includes all the land drained by the Credit and its tributaries, including the headwaters in Erin and Orangeville, plus parts of Caledon, Brampton, Halton Hills, Milton, Oakville and Mississauga. The watershed covers 1,000 square kilometers and is home to about 800,000 people.
Most people know about financial "capital", the investments that drive our economy, as well as the term "natural resources", which includes timber and minerals that can be sold for a profit. Not in common use though is the concept of "natural capital", the value of services we get from our ecology.
"One of the key aspects of valuing ecological services is the idea that Mother Nature does for free what we would otherwise have to pay millions to do through technology and infrastructure," said Jeff Wilson, Ecological Goods and Services Project Coordinator at Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
He co-authored a recent report by the Pembina Institute and CVC, which found that the Credit River Watershed provides annual services worth more than $371 million to area residents.
The study attaches dollar amounts to various benefits we draw from nature. For example, if our groundwater supply became compromised, it would cost about $100 million per year to pump the required water up from Lake Ontario – just to maintain current water use.
"Because the value of natural capital doesn't show up on anyone's balance sheet, we end up using ecological resources in very inefficient ways," said Mike Kennedy, Senior Resource Economist with the Pembina Institute, a national non-profit think tank that promotes sustainable energy solutions. "We know we are living beyond the limits of nature to sustain our population."
You can download the report at www.creditvalleycons.ca or the Pembina site, www.greeneconomics.ca, but it is mainly a message to the provincial and municipal governments (which fund the conservation authorities).
Politicians should indeed heed the trend by looking at the big, big picture when deciding if and how land should be developed. We need to do a lot more with the land that has already been converted to urban landscape, as well as reforesting and naturalizing degraded lands.
If we had inherited a treasure, and in fact lived on top of it, how would we react if someone wanted to buy pieces of it at less than its true worth? We might simply say it is not for sale, or at least demand full price for the asset. But if we did not realize the value of what lay beneath our feet, or considered it an endless supply of wealth, chances are we would sell it off at a much lower price.
The study is called Natural Credit: Estimating the Value of Natural Capital in the Credit River Watershed. The authors play upon the word "Crédit", the name given to the river by French fur traders who supplied goods to the native Mississaugas in advance (on credit), for furs to be provided the following spring.
The dollar amounts in the study are only rough estimates. The authors admit to "inherent weaknesses" in their methods, but say their estimates are "conservative". They are adamant about the validity of considering the economic consequences before natural features are lost.
"We act as though the bank of nature has unlimited assets, and we keep making withdrawals as if there is no tomorrow," the report says. "By accounting for natural capital we can start to align our economic ambitions with our ethical environmental responsibility – to provide future generations with at least the same benefits from nature that we enjoy."
Here are some examples of the natural capital values (per year):
• $186.8 million provided by wetlands, in the form of climate and water regulation, water supply, soil formation, nutrient cycling and waste treatment.
• $140.6 million provided by various types of forest, including atmospheric, climate and water regulation, recreation, wildlife habitat, pollination and waste treatment.
• $14.5 million provided by waterways, including recreation and benefits similar to wetlands.
• $29.2 million provided by meadows and farmlands, with benefits similar to forests.
The watershed includes all the land drained by the Credit and its tributaries, including the headwaters in Erin and Orangeville, plus parts of Caledon, Brampton, Halton Hills, Milton, Oakville and Mississauga. The watershed covers 1,000 square kilometers and is home to about 800,000 people.
January 06, 2010
Erin gives Olympic torch an enthusiastic welcome
As published in The Erin Advocate
There are many good reasons to be cynical about the Olympic Games, the great spectacle that has us in its grip once again.
Despite the best efforts of TV networks to play up the positive, the Games have a reputation problem. There is a long tradition of corruption in the bidding process and the construction of facilities. So while there are certainly many honest people and organizations involved in the Games, there is a perpetual scent of scandal.
Then there are the controversies over performance-enhancing drugs and the opportunity to cheat. Again, not serious enough to taint all the honest athletes or destroy the Games, but still a serious, on-going problem.
The extreme commercialization of the event was perhaps in reaction to the financial disaster of the 1976 Games in Montreal. It took until 2006 to pay off the $1.5 billion debt. Now the Games make money, but we pay the price by enduring the onslaught of marketing from Coke, McDonald's and so many corporate sponsors. It makes the whole thing seem tacky.
No room here to go into the loss of the amateur ideal in favour of professionalism, with athletes treated as full-time PR agents by some countries. No one seems to be overly concerned about excessive nationalism distorting the ideals of human competition, as nations spend obscene portions of their gross national product to buy some elusive bragging rights on the world stage.
Most people are annoyed when the Olympics become an occasion for political protest, whether it be on apartheid, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (how times have changed) or the current controversies about the Olympic torch crossing Native land in Ontario and the plight of homeless people in Vancouver. The public does not respond well to chants like, "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land."
Whether the protests are valid or not, people are saturated. They have little interest in politics, especially when it interferes with something that is supposed to be entertaining. Despite attempts at reform, the International Olympic Committee is far from an accountable, democratic organization.
There's not much anyone can do, unless they want to protest in the streets, and be portrayed as a wingnut.
I find the politics fascinating, but there comes a time to set it all aside. Cynicism is a crutch I have been trying to do without.
So when the Olympic torch blazed its way through Erin last week, I was out on the street with my camera. I wore the bright red Olympic hoodie I got for Christmas, with the prominent label from the "Official Outfitters".
There were hundreds of people on the route and at Centre 2000, at 9 a.m. on the holiday Monday, and they were happy. The torchbearers were generous with their time, allowing many people to be photographed holding a torch.
I took a picture for The Advocate of the flame being passed from one torch to another. When I was touching it up on my computer, I zoomed in on a torch and was surprised at the slogan etched below the flame, cleverly clipped from the national anthem: "With Glowing Hearts".
The feeling was that Erin was lucky to have the torch pass through the community. Along the route, little kids had an excited gleam in their eyes, there were older folks waving Canadian flags, and though it was all over in less than an hour, it became an event to be remembered.
The torch brought people together and made them feel connected to other Canadians and the whole world, and there is nothing wrong with that. When you are feeling lucky, then of course, you are.
There are many good reasons to be cynical about the Olympic Games, the great spectacle that has us in its grip once again.
Despite the best efforts of TV networks to play up the positive, the Games have a reputation problem. There is a long tradition of corruption in the bidding process and the construction of facilities. So while there are certainly many honest people and organizations involved in the Games, there is a perpetual scent of scandal.
Then there are the controversies over performance-enhancing drugs and the opportunity to cheat. Again, not serious enough to taint all the honest athletes or destroy the Games, but still a serious, on-going problem.
The extreme commercialization of the event was perhaps in reaction to the financial disaster of the 1976 Games in Montreal. It took until 2006 to pay off the $1.5 billion debt. Now the Games make money, but we pay the price by enduring the onslaught of marketing from Coke, McDonald's and so many corporate sponsors. It makes the whole thing seem tacky.
No room here to go into the loss of the amateur ideal in favour of professionalism, with athletes treated as full-time PR agents by some countries. No one seems to be overly concerned about excessive nationalism distorting the ideals of human competition, as nations spend obscene portions of their gross national product to buy some elusive bragging rights on the world stage.
Most people are annoyed when the Olympics become an occasion for political protest, whether it be on apartheid, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (how times have changed) or the current controversies about the Olympic torch crossing Native land in Ontario and the plight of homeless people in Vancouver. The public does not respond well to chants like, "No Olympics on Stolen Native Land."
Whether the protests are valid or not, people are saturated. They have little interest in politics, especially when it interferes with something that is supposed to be entertaining. Despite attempts at reform, the International Olympic Committee is far from an accountable, democratic organization.
There's not much anyone can do, unless they want to protest in the streets, and be portrayed as a wingnut.
I find the politics fascinating, but there comes a time to set it all aside. Cynicism is a crutch I have been trying to do without.
So when the Olympic torch blazed its way through Erin last week, I was out on the street with my camera. I wore the bright red Olympic hoodie I got for Christmas, with the prominent label from the "Official Outfitters".
There were hundreds of people on the route and at Centre 2000, at 9 a.m. on the holiday Monday, and they were happy. The torchbearers were generous with their time, allowing many people to be photographed holding a torch.
I took a picture for The Advocate of the flame being passed from one torch to another. When I was touching it up on my computer, I zoomed in on a torch and was surprised at the slogan etched below the flame, cleverly clipped from the national anthem: "With Glowing Hearts".
The feeling was that Erin was lucky to have the torch pass through the community. Along the route, little kids had an excited gleam in their eyes, there were older folks waving Canadian flags, and though it was all over in less than an hour, it became an event to be remembered.
The torch brought people together and made them feel connected to other Canadians and the whole world, and there is nothing wrong with that. When you are feeling lucky, then of course, you are.
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