N E W
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2010
W E S T M I N S T E R
INSIDE: Reporter rings bells for Sally Ann ◗ P3
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◗ SAFETY IN THE CITY
Trouble on Eighth BY ALFIE LAU REPORTER alau@royalcityrecord.com
When Danielle and Dave Nicholson moved to the Royal City this past summer, they were looking forward to their future in a quiet neighbourhood with their 11month old son Roland and their Malamute cross Monty. What they weren’t expecting was taking their lives in their own hands every time they crossed East Eighth Avenue. The couple live on the south side of the street, near the crest of the hill at McKay Street and they often cross the street at the pedestrian crosswalk there to get to an offleash dog area near 10th Avenue. “I cannot count the number of times I have almost been hit by vehicles at this crossing while walking my very large breed dog and 11-month-old baby,” said Danielle. “I have stood there and been ignored and ignored and ignored as countless cars have driven by, heedless of the clearly marked signage.” Dave goes a step further in an e-mail: “I hope getting home two minutes earlier was worth it when my wife and child are lying dead in the crosswalk.” ◗Safety Page 2
Larry Wright/THE RECORD
Crossing hard: Dave and Danielle Nicholson, along with baby Roland and dog Monty, at the East Eighth Avenue and McKay Street intersection they consider to be one of the most dangerous pedestrian crossings in the city.
Giving: Students pack lunches for the poor BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com
Some local students are learning there’s a lot more to Christmas than how many gifts they get. For the past two years, Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary School teacher Helen Cranstoun and her Grade 7 class have made bagged lunches for folks who drop in to the Union Gospel Mission. “I wanted to bring the spirit of Christmas into the classroom a little bit,” she explained. “There are a lot of home-
less people in our community. I thought it would be nice for the kids to experience what it is like to give to a cause.” Cranstoun approached Const. Gord Santaga, who is the New Westminster Police Service’s school liaison officer in local middle and elementary schools. He suggested the Union Gospel Mission. “We worked together. The first year, each kid made three lunches,” she said. “This year we had 90 students involved. They each made five lunches.” Grade 6 and 7 students in Kristina Jack, Yves La Forest and Cranstoun’s classes
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recently visited the Union Gospel Mission to deliver the bagged lunches. Each bag contained a sandwich, a juice box, a candy cane, a cookie, a piece of fruit and a pair of socks. “They sang Christmas carols, they gave their lunches out to the people who were there,” Cranstoun said. “It was moving for them. They felt good when they saw people smiling and saying thank you.” Cranstoun believes students benefited from the experience. “I think they understood there is a balance in life,” she said “At Christmas time
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we get so much. There is giving – it’s not just getting.” Before visiting the Union Gospel Mission students watched a video about homelessness. Students were excited about visiting the mission and giving to those in need, but also a bit nervous. “When I went there I was nervous because I didn’t know if they were going to be nice,” said Grade 7 student Tyler Lauinger. “When we sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, they were really nice. ◗School Page 9
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