January 26, 2008

NEWS | 1

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Wellesley couple decides it’s tea time in the village................................. 12

Kings in playoff mode for 3-2 OT win

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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 04

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2008

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PRICELESS

Âť council

Wellesley continues pursuit of funding

photos | marc miquel helsen

MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

RESCUE EFFORT a 39-year-old linwood woman was airlifted to hamilton General hospital with life-threatening injuries Wednesday after the van she was driving collided head-on with another van that crossed the centerline on line 86 near herrgott road.

Linwood woman airlifted from scene of Line 86 head-on collision MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

A 39-year-old Linwood woman was airlifted to hospital in Hamilton in critical condition after the van she was driving collided with another van on Line 86, near Herrgott Road, shortly after 9 a.m. on Jan. 23. A 24-year-old St. Clements man was driving a 1998 Ford van westbound on Line 86 when he lost control on the icy roadway and crossed over the center line, striking an eastbound Chevrolet van head-on.

The St. Clements man was not injured. His male passenger suffered non-lifethreatening injuries, and was taken to Grand River Hospital for assessment. The Linwood driver of the Chevrolet van, however, sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported by air ambulance to Hamilton General Hospital. The roadway was closed by police for some six hours as they investigated the incident; charges are pending. Anyone with information is asked to contact the traffic services branch of the Waterloo Regional police at 519-6537700, ext. 8856 or 8857.

Wellesley’s desire for muchneeded infrastructure money made for a busy week. Councillors and staff endorsed a number of resolutions passed by neighbouring municipalities, attended a meeting with the Liberal Urban Communities Caucus in Kitchener Jan. 22, and drafted letters to provincial and federal members of parliament. The township wants senior governments to increase funding for road and bridge repairs, and a host of similar projects. In a letter written on behalf of the township and FFSCO (Fair Funding for Small Communities of Ontario), Mayor Ross Kelterborn urged MPs and MPPs to eliminate the competitive nature of existing grant programs. “Small and rural municipalities have limited resources available to fund deteriorating infrastructure required to serve the needs of the backbone of this province, the rural resident,â€? Kelterborn wrote. In the same letter, he voiced disappointment over the absence of government members at FFSCO meetings. Attending a meeting with Liberal leader StĂŠphane Dion See INFRASTRUCTURE page Âť02

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Fire destroys barn on Three Bridges Road

Infrastructure: More money Âť From cover

cial Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review – an undertaking that will shape the future of the services delivered to Ontarians by provincial and municipal governments – to include a review of agricultural land assessment and applicable taxes. Currently, assessment on agricultural land yields the lowest property taxes. Kelterborn is looking for the province to provide funding that would provide revenues as if the land was taxed at the industrial rate – filling coffers without increasing taxes on farmers. The plan would recognize the health and environmental benefits ag-

ricultural regions such as Wellesley provide to the urban areas, where larger populations, and larger assessment bases – residential, commercial and industrial – mean more money for infrastructure. “They listened, as everybody does. That’s the easy part,� he quipped of the meeting with the Liberal caucus. Waterloo Region Chair Ken Seiling also attended the caucus meeting, pressing regional needs such as affordable housing, rapid transit and childcare. “It’s the same message I give to their Conservative colleagues when I see them as well – it’s nothing any different,� he said.

photos | marc miquel helsen

and the Liberal Urban Communities Caucus in Kitchener Tuesday, Kelterborn further pressed the importance of conducting a review of agricultural land assessment and applicable taxes. “[We need] a new method to assess agricultural land so we get fair return on it at no cost to the farmer, so that we can [be more] self-sufficient that we don’t need to depend on the government to give us money all the time to fix our infrastructure,� explained Kelterborn in a later interview. His pleas are in keeping with a council motion passed last fall calling on the Provin-

FULLY INVOLVED No one was injured, but a number of animals perished in a barn fire at Three Bridges Road, near St. Jacobs, Jan. 21. Firefighters from St. Jacobs, Conestogo and Floradale arrived to find the structure engulfed in flames. The fire is not considered suspicious, linked to an electric heat lamp used in an animal pen. Damage to the building was estimated at $40,000, and $8,000 to its contents.

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NEWS | 3

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

“ I’d certainly like to see more of the new residents of the community of Wellesley get more involved ...” Hal Schneider

COMMUNITY FIRST Wellesley’s Hal Schneider doesn’t like talking about the volunteer work he does in the community, but others do, however – enough to vote him in as this year’s Citizen of the Year.

PHOTO | Marc miquel helsen

Wellesley’s Citizen of the Year Relative newcomer to the village sets an example as he’s recognized for his tireless volunteer efforts

MARC MIQUEL HELSEN Wellesley’s Hal Schneider is described by many as someone who’s always ready and willing to lend a hand. So much so, that this year the area resident was voted as the Citizen of the Year by the Wellesley and District Board of Trade. “I think the world of Hal. He’s certainly very deserving of the award – he’s the type of individual who is pretty well always there when you need him,” said board of trade president Joe Nowak. “He’s just always there, and into everything.” Although Schneider and his family – his wife, Tara, and their 12-year-old daughter Taylor – moved to Wellesley from Kitchener only about nine years ago, people in the community have already grown accustomed to seeing him at numerous events. A lawyer with practices in Wellesley and

Kitchener, Schneider still manages to donate his time to a long list of causes and events. Despite the recognition, Schneider, who still considers himself a newcomer to the village, doesn’t see what all the fuss is about. There are many more people, he said, who do just as much if not more than he does, and have been doing so for much longer, having been born in the area. That said, Schneider has been involved in the community – whether serving food at the arena, fundraising with the Wellesley and District Lions Club, or helping run the soapbox derby – since he first arrived. “The one thing that makes it special that Hal would get this is the fact that, in the big scheme of things, Hal hasn’t been in town that long,” said Nowak. He seemed very, very keen to get involved right from the get-go. … He’s made his mark known very, very quickly in the community and is cer-

tainly appreciated.” Schneider has a simple explanation for all the volunteer work: “Because people ask. I have a hard time saying no.” Joking aside, it’s likely the village that has brought out the volunteer in him; when living in Kitchener, he seldom volunteered his time. Then again, small communities require people to step forward, because without that effort, little would get done. “It’s fun and it’s fulfilling; you meet people – it’s a wonderful way to meet other members of your community.” For someone who’s only been in the village a relatively short time, he’s already put together a long résumé, including sitting on the executive of the Wellesley and District Board of Trade; a past member of the Wellesley and District Lions Club; participating on the committee for the Wellesley Pond restoration project; serving on the board of directors for the Inspiring

Minds Early Learning Centre at the old fellowship hall, and helping with the Wellesley and North East Hope Agricultural Society that runs the fall fair Although Schneider is somewhat reluctant to discuss his contributions, he is eager to urge young people and newcomers to the village to get involved. “Since my wife and I moved to Wellesley in 1999, the population has probably doubled, yet the same core group of people are involved in all the volunteer aspect of things. I’d certainly like to see more of the new residents of the community of Wellesley get more involved in all the different things that are out there that need volunteers.” Schneider will be honoured by last year’s Citizen of the Year, Mary Lichty, at the annual Valentine’s ball to be hosted by the board of trade Feb. 8 at the community centre. Call Joe Nowak 519-656-2466 for tickets and information.

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» FROM THE EDITOR | STEVE KANNON

Love of electronics speeds up the cycle of buy, use, dispose We love our electronic gadgets. Every year, there are more new toys to captivate our imaginations – and our credit cards. Even though retail sales slumped slightly during the Christmas season, sales of electronic goods bucked the trend. Falling prices and ever-increasing variety have prompted us to buy an array of big-screen televisions, computers, MP3 players and cell phones. The new displaces the old, and we end up with literally tonnes of electronic waste on our hands, much of which ends up in landfills. Containing recyclable materials and toxic chemicals, the electronic detritus is better off finding its way into diversion programs, yet in 2004 – the most recent year for which statistics are available – only nine per cent of the more than 14.5 million electronic units discarded in Ontario were bound for reuse or recycling. “Waste electronic and electrical equipment contain toxic and hazardous substances, including mercury, PCBs, PBDE, and cadmium. Waste of this type needs to be responsibly disposed of. Unsophisticated disposal takes up scarce landfill space and ignores the reuse and recycling opportunities,” says Anne Mitchell, executive director of the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP). Estimates are that Ontarians currently have about 91,000 tonnes of computers, monitors, fax machines, printers and

televisions that are sitting unused or are ready for replacement in homes and businesses. In five years, it is estimated that number will climb to 124,000 tonnes. I freely admit to owning a not-inconsequential portion of that waiting-tobe-discarded electronic junk. My basement is full of old computer equipment, as I’ve collected dozens of them over the past two decades. I have, however, recently begun jettisoning much of it – really, what use is an original IBM XT, other than serving as a museum piece? Some of the computers – long obsolete machines that cost thousands of dollars at the time, and now worth less than nothing given the disposal fees – have gone out the door. So, too, have boxes and boxes of old peripherals, expansion cards and piles of hard drives measured in megabytes. I have, however, insisted on keeping the stuff out of the landfill site – most of it went directly to computer recycling firms, the rest to Waterloo Region’s ewaste collection system. There will be more come time for spring cleaning. Every new addition to my collection of new electronics, most computerrelated, bumps another piece into the “surplus” pile. I’m not alone in adding to the waste stream of electronic goods, referred to as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). Estimates show the WEEE stream has been growing at a rate of three to five per cent each year, three times faster than the average waste stream. And the lifecycle of electronic goods – the time from manufacture to disposal – continues to shorten. Today’s prod-

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ucts are cheaper, and prone to failure. The return rate for some consumer electronics is more than 30 per cent, meaning that gadget you just bought has a very good chance of proving defective within the warranty period. Not surprisingly, we’re all familiar with goods that just scrape by the term of the warranty before breaking down. The way most items are built means it’s often cheaper to buy a new one than to repair the fault; in many cases, repair isn’t even an option. A new report from CIELAP outlines the benefits of diverting e-waste, most of which is almost completely reclaimable, although it does require more work than the recyclables we deposit at the curb in our blue boxes. “A number of valuable metals, such as gold, copper, steel, aluminum, lead, and other substances, can now be recovered from WEEE and then recycled and reused in the manufacturing of other products. Technologies for the recycling and recovery of glass and plastics are also increasingly being developed and refined. Recycling and

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recovering these materials lessens the need for virgin resources and energy use. WEEE recycling is also much less energy-intensive and less detrimental to the environment and health compared to landfilling and incineration, and recycling reduces the need for primary electronics production processes that tend to employ toxic substances.” For instance, the recycling of aluminum achieves a 79-per-cent material conservation, a 95-per-cent energy saving, a 97-per-cent reduction of effluents, and a 95-per-cent reduction in emissions over primary resource extraction. Steel recycling brings a 90-per-cent materials savings, 86-per-cent reduction in emissions, and a 76-per-cent reduction in water pollution. Waterloo Region is one of about 90 municipalities (2006 figures) with some kind of e-waste diversion program. Electronic waste is not permitted in the regular garbage stream (though that doesn’t mean everybody plays along), encouraging us to think about what happens to all the trinkets destined to be trash in relatively short order.

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What is your favourite tropical location? “Bermuda: I think I liked everything.” What do you do in your free time? “I am the president of the Woolwich Community Lions Club.” Hobbies? “Shopping, going out with friends, yoga.” Favourite food? Poutine. Favourite drink? Martinis. How do you warm up on cold days? Hot tubbing and drinking grande white peppermint mochas from Starbucks.

NEWS | 5

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Cha-ching! Township cashes in Centre Wellington Township this week got its hands on a cheque for $465,332, the latest installment of its share of revenues from slot machines at the Grand River Raceway. The payment represents five per cent of the revenues generated in the second quarter (July through September). To date, the township has received more than $6.9 million in non-tax gaming revenue since the operation was forced to move from Woolwich Township. Slots at Grand River Raceway opened on Dec. 4, 2003. Since that time, it has attracted more than 2.5 million visitors. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation issued more than $17.9 million in revenue this quarter to 23 host communities of slots at racetracks and charity casinos. To date, those communities have collected $523.3 million. The tracks themselves receive 10 per cent of the gross slots revenue, with another 10 per cent going to the horse-racing industry.

Wellesley says ‘no’ to reduced rates Councillors worry exemption for school group would set an expensive precedent MARC MIQUEL HELSEN Sparked by a request by an area school that the township exempt it from paying the full rates for the rental of municipal facilities, Wellesley councillors chose to say ‘no’ to avoid setting a precedent. “My feelings are that we’re opening a door, a Pandora’s Box, once we get into these field trips and field trip-type of situations,” said Coun. Herb Neher at Tuesday night’s meeting in Crosshill, air-

ing concerns one exemption might lead to a flood of similar requests. The township’s current policy, implemented in May 2005, states that any user group using municipal facilities for the purpose of fundraising must pay full rental fees; exemptions are possible only in special cases. Wellesley implemented the new policy to end the practice of community groups using the facilities at little expense to hold profitable events, leaving the township with the cost of operat-

cillors received a letter from a Grade 8 teacher at Wellesley Public School requesting a reduced rate at the Wellesley Community Centre in order to hold a fundraiser for a class trip to Quebec. The full rental rate for the kitchen and hall would be $376.92 plus GST. Council chose not to offer a reduced rate. “If we start doing this, the letters are going to keep coming and keep coming,” said recreation director Brad Voisin, adding that the town-

ing the buildings. Now, community groups may be granted use of the facilities for a maximum of four hours per event free of charge, but organizers of fundraising events such as dances and auctions must pay the full rental fee; all preparation and clean-up work is to be done by those renting the facilities. Groups may still approach council to request “special consideration” for reduced or waived rental fees. Most recently, coun-

EDSS hosts student art show

Pendergast takes part in pre-budget consultation tours

Tree of Lights reaps $6,300

Credit unions opt for merger Your Neighbourhood Credit Union and Mitchell & District Credit Union announced Thursday the two will merge. The merged entity will be known as Your Neighbourhood Credit Union effective Mar. 1. The new organization will have approximately $470 million in assets under administration, serving 29,100 members at 13 branches. Your Neighbourhood Credit Union currently serves approximately 24,000 Members, and operates nine branches in KitchenerWaterloo, Cambridge, Brantford, Paris, Windsor and LaSalle, with $393 million in assets under administration. Mitchell & District serves 4,600 Members, and operates four branches, located in Mitchell, Sebringville, Stratford and Shakespeare, with $77 million in assets.

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photos | vanessa moss

More than just a pretty sight, the 16th annual Tree of Lights celebration in Wellesley wasn’t just about bright lights and Christmas cheer. It also helped raise some $6,305 for area charities. “It was double, and then some, this year,” explained Marilyn Bisch, event coordinator and member of the Wellesley Lions Club, an event sponsor. Monies gleaned though the celebration will be divided between two local charities: Community Action Program for Children and Meals on Wheels.

ship hasn’t received any such requests since June 2007 – a sign that people are adapting to the new policy. Two similar requests were denied last summer. “I think we have to be very, very careful. When it’s a fundraising event, I don’t think we should take a loss,” said Voisin, who in his report to council noted the township recreation department operates on a substantial annual deficit. Its main source of revenue to offset expenses is rental fees.

THE ARTISTS’ VIEW Lynn Pavlik’s Grade 12 art students put two months’ worth of work on display Wednesday at Elmira District Secondary School for a lunch-hour art show. Top: Elizabeth Webb, 17 (left) and Alyssa Logel, 17, painted in watercolour and Sara Radcliffe, 17 (bottom), created “The Revolution of Music” collage.

Rookie MPP Leeanna Pendergast (Liberal – Kitchener-Conestoga) is getting a quick education about the budget process … and about keeping warm. Newly appointed to the Finance and Economic Affairs Committee, she spent the week in Northern Ontario participating in pre-budget consultations with community groups. It’s a long way from visits Finance Minister Dwight Duncan is making in the southern parts of the province, but it’s proving to be a learning experience for Pendergast, the first-time politician who won a seat in last fall’s election. Given the state of the financial markets, the strong Canadian dollar and the potential for a recession in the U.S., it’s no surprise people are expressing worries about the economy, she said in a telephone interview from Timmins Wednesday. But from feedback she’s received from other MPPs on the

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trip, Ontarians seem to have realistic expectations about what the budget can do. Typically, such input sessions hear many conflicting requests – sometimes from the same people – for both increased program spending and tax breaks. “People are acknowledging that there are only so many dollars. They know there’s a limit.” In the North, many of the concerns are tied to aboriginal issues, including funding for education and for jobs. The economy there has always been more precarious, often tied to the volatile lumber and mining industries. A downturn would be harder than in the morediversified industrial heartland to the south. Still, the mood is mostly optimistic, she said. “Ontario’s economy is resilient and it continues to grow. People see that, but there’s more to do.” Pendergast and the committee will be on the road until Jan. 31, returning to Queen’s Park to prepare a report for Duncan in advance of his next budget.

6 | NEWS

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Persistence the philosophy for pageant contestant MARC MIQUEL HELSEN The first time Nicole Mery applied for Miss World Canada she didn’t make the cut. But instead of getting discouraged, she was

fired up by the rejection. When she came knocking the following year, she was accepted. With a spirit of determination and a penchant for helping others – charity being a cornerstone of the pageant philoso-

phy (its motto is “beauty with a purpose”) – the 23-year-old hopes to learn valuable lessons which she’ll then pass on to others. “It’s one of my goals to achieve. If I can do this, I can tell so many young

people that if they really work hard and they put their heart and soul into something, then they can really achieve anything,” said the Kitchener resident, noting that her failure to get accepted into the previ-

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ous year’s Miss World Canada pageant only solidified her resolve to succeed. “If people work hard and they put everything into it, a deep conviction in themselves, then they can truly achieve anything.” By competing for Miss World Canada, an organization that prides itself on its commitment to charitable organizations like SOS Children’s Villages, she hopes to counter the myth that looks and brains are mutually exclusive. “If you do achieve something like Miss World Canada, you can make great contacts, but you can also show young people that you can be beautiful and you can be smart. You [can] help people and do all those amazing things and still be a good person. I think it’s really important,” said Mery, a regular volunteer at Columbia Forest LongTerm Care Centre. She also volunteered at an orphanage in her native Slovakia last summer. Currently enrolled in her final year as a math student at the University of Waterloo, her real passion is in the field of business. She plans to start her own venture, and it looks like she has some good practice: not too long ago, Mery had her own business selling watches and, eventually, her own pressed flower frames at the farmers’ market in St. Jacobs. Although the business

venture didn’t work out as she had originally intended, it planted the seeds of an entrepreneurial spirit. But, like her trajectory leading up to the Miss World Canada pageant, Mery would have to remain persistent in attaining her goal. It was during her tenure – unloved at times – as a math student at UW that Mery realized the nature of the business she would like to establish: a not-for-profit outfit providing high school students with life-coaching services. “It’s just my calling. You can’t explain things like that, you just feel that that’s where you’re supposed to be. For the longest time I didn’t know what that was, but when I discovered it, I guess I always knew it. I had to rediscover it because I was in math and I thought that’s where I was supposed to be, but it wasn’t the case at all,” she said, noting that she might not have trudged through four years of mathematics had she had some added guidance in high school. Having learned through her own experience, however, Mery, wants to help others. “A life coach helps people find their passion in life and helps them create a life where they can look at every single day and love doing that; I even do that now with my friends and when I do that, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.”

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IF AT FIRST ... Nicole Mery, a math student at UW, is a contestant in the Miss World Canada pageant. She hopes to channel her aptitude for perseverance into becoming a life-coach for young people.

NEWS | 7

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» LAW & ORDER

Not fit to drive; not fit to pay for a cab ride Bad day on the roads

A taxi driver, dropping a client off at an address on Floradale Road about 1 a.m. Jan 20, contacted police when the passenger failed to pay for the service. The cabbie reported that the intoxicated female may have passed out after entering the home to get some money to pay for the $47 fare. Police are following up. January 16

»»

January 17

11:45 AM | Another license plate was reported to have been lost. It bears the marker N58 650.

»»

January 18

6:20 PM | A two-vehicle collision occurred at Line 86 and Lavery Road, near Linwood. Both vehicles were westbound on Line 86 when one vehicle pulled out to pass the other, hit an icy patch, lost control and sideswiped the other vehicle. There were no injuries, just minor damage and no charges. 6:24 PM | Neither humans nor horses appear to have been injured as a result of a collision that saw a horse collide with a motor vehicle along Northfield Drive, between Country Squire Road and New Jerusalem Road near Waterloo. The vehicle was northbound on Northfield Drive when a stray horse, believed to have escaped from a local barn, collided with it. The vehicle suffered extensive damage.

»»

January 19

1:30 AM | An impaired driver was caught and charged by police after she drove her vehicle off the side of the road and into a ditch on Sawmill Road, between McAllister Drive and St. Charles Street in Bloomingdale. A passing witness discovered the vehicle and notified police after noticing the smell of alcohol. The driver alleges she had run off the roadway and into the ditch when she mistook a ditch for a driveway. There were no injuries. 10:10 AM | Police were called to the scene of a collision on Line 86, close to Lavery Road. The vehicle was eastbound on Line 86 when the driver lost control on an icy portion of roadway, rolled into a ditch on the north side of the road and flipped

»» PHOTO | VANESSA MOSS

»»

9:15 AM | Mailboxes from three homes in the area of Buehler Line, between Manser Road and Lavery Road near Linwood, disappeared without a trace, residents reported. When police arrived on the scene, they found the boxes gone, but no evidence of vandalism. There are no suspects. 9:30 AM | A plate bearing the marker Y11 521 was lost. 1:30 PM | A rear license plate from a pickup truck was reported missing. It bears the marker 730 5FC.

ing was the site of yet another collision due to icy road conditions. The driver lost control of her vehicle as it veered to the side because of snow on the road. She tried to correct, but eventually ended up in a ditch. The collision caused the vehicle’s airbag to deploy when it rolled over. The driver was not injured but her vehicle was towed from the scene.

POLE POSITION The morning of Jan. 18 saw cars slip and slide on area roads, including this one that left the road and came to rest on a hydro pole near the corner of Yatton Side Road and Third Line, southwest of Floradale. over. There were no injuries intersection waiting to pass. and no charges; the vehicle The first vehicle slid on the icy roadway as it made the turn. was towed from the scene. There were no injuries and 11:54 AM | Two vehicles were only minor damage. Because eastbound on Line 86 when the of the poor road conditions, lead vehicle slowed to stop; the there were no charges. trailing car was unable to stop in time because of the icy con- 3:52 PM | Police were called to ditions and a collision ensued. the scene of yet another motorBoth vehicles were driven vehicle collision, this time on from the scene. There were no New Jerusalem Road between Sawmill Road and Hidden injuries and no charges. Acres Lane. The driver lost 12:30 PM No charges were laid control of the vehicle while in connection with a collision southbound on New Jerusalem in front of a Heidelberg tavern. Road as a result of blowing One vehicle was northbound and drifting snow. He was not on Kressler Road approaching injured, and a passerby drove the intersection at Rocky Lane him to the Elmira Tim Hortons when a gust of wind forced from which he contacted pothe car over slightly, causing lice. Damage was minor. it to hit a soft shoulder. The car was then pulled further off 7:44 PM | Line 86 near Dorkthe roadway where it scraped a hydro pole. The vehicle was driven from the scene. 3:30 PM | Two occupants in a single vehicle suffered only moderate injuries when the MARC MIQUEL vehicle they were riding in HELSEN rolled over after slipping on the icy surface of Line 86 near Police have arrested a Dorking. Both individuals were treated at the scene for their inman in connection with juries. a number of thefts from

January 21

7:34 AM | Police were called to the scene of a collision on Northfield Drive in Woolwich Township. The driver had been travelling on the road when she lost control of her vehicle, entered a ditch on the opposite side of the highway, spun out again, and ended up facing south. The vehicle was towed from the scene. There were no injuries. 10:27 AM | Police along with Woolwich firefighters responded to the scene of a barn fire on Three Bridges Road, near St. Jacobs. A passerby witnessed heavy smoke and contacted emergency crews. When police arrived, the barn was engulfed in flames. Although no one was hurt a number of animals perished in the fire, including two potbelly pigs, three peacocks, three rabbits and two chickens. Two John Deere lawn tractors were also destroyed. Damage was pegged at $40,000 to the barn and $8,000 to its contents. The fire is not considered suspicious and is believed to have been started by an electric heat lamp in an animal pen.

2:19 PM | Another license plate, bearing the marker BAKK 771, was reported missing.

»»

January 22

6:56 AM | A vehicle attempting to stop for a stop sign on Reid Woods Drive slid through the intersection and ended up in a ditch. No one was injured and there were no charges, although the vehicle appears to have been written off. 10:20 AM | A driver making a Uturn at the intersection on William Street and Snyder Avenue in Elmira hit another vehicle in the attempt. There were no injuries and both vehicles were driven from the scene. The first driver was charged with ‘turn not in safety.’ 5:47 PM | Two vehicles were involved in a collision in the area of Northfield Drive and New Jerusalem Road. The first vehicle was northbound on Northfield Drive south of New Jerusalem when its driver lost control and crashed into a ditch. Shortly thereafter, a second vehicle, also northbound on Northfield Drive, lost control on the same icy stretch of roadway and crashed into the vehicle already in the ditch. Only minor injuries

9:50 PM | A vehicle was westbound on Line 86 near Dorking when it ran over a patch of icy roadway and then struck a hydro pole. There were no injuries and, because of the adverse road conditions, no charges.

»»

January 20

3:00 AM | Police caught another impaired driver after a vigilant and suspicious passerby noticed the vehicle near Conestogo. Police eventually caught up with the driver at University Avenue in Waterloo. A man was arrested and charged with ‘impaired driving’ and ‘over 80.’ He was also in contravention of G2 licence regulations. 3:10 PM Two vehicles were involved in a collision at the intersection of Kressler and Hawkesville roads. One of the vehicles was on Kressler Road, making a right-hand turn, when it hit the other vehicle, which had been stopped at the

seniors’ facilities in the Waterloo Region. Members of the Provincial Repeat Offender and Parole Enforcement Unit (ROPE) arrested Russell John White, 45, wanted on outstanding warrants in connection with break-and-enters in seniors’ residences, including one on Duke Street in Elmira Dec. 31. He was arrested Jan. 21 in Toronto. He was charged by the Waterloo regional police with 17 counts of break-andenter, and is being held pending a bail hearing in Kitchener provincial court. “We’d been actively working on the investigation for several weeks. … Through information that we received and through our

»»

January 23

9:12 AM One woman, later deemed in critical condition, was airlifted to Hamilton Hospital after two vans collided on Line 86, west of Herrgott Road near Wallenstein. 12:36 PM | A barricade set up by emergency crews answering the earlier call on Line 86 was struck when a vehicle failed to stop in time. An officer witnessed the event, subsequently charging the driver with ‘careless driving.”

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Police nab suspect wanted for thefts at seniors’ residences investigation, at some point we became aware of the likely identity of the individual in the surveillance video,” said police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel. One of the locations had a video surveillance system, and still images from the tape were distributed to the media. “Throughout the investigation, we have been asking for information from the public and the public has helped us significantly and helped us in locating the suspect in Toronto,” he added. Police are urging members of the public to ensure that their homes are secure at all times and to report suspicious activity at once. Anyone with information is asked to call the Waterloo regional police Break and Enter Enforcement Team at 519-653-7700, ext. 3306 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

were reported. 6:13 PM | There were no injuries and no charges in connection with a single-vehicle rollover on Arthur Street South, just south of Scotch Line Road near Elmira. The driver was southbound on Arthur Street when they hit an icy patch of roadway, lost control and ended rolling over in a ditch. 10:04 PM | Manser Road between Buehler Line and Line 86 was the site of another motorvehicle collision. There were no injuries despite the fact that the vehicle rolled over and came to rest at a fence post. Damage was severe. There were no charges.

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8 | OPINION

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

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» EDITORIAL

Municipalities deserve a share It’s become a familiar refrain. As surely as the provinces have their hands out to Ottawa, municipalities complain of inadequate funding from the senior governments. That was certainly the case this week as members of Fair Funding for Small Communities of Ontario met in Kitchener. Facing crumbling infrastructure – roads, bridges and water systems, to name a few – that will cost billions to rebuild, municipalities want a steady stream of assistance. Calling one-off grants inadequate, they want a guaranteed slice of taxes such as the GST, the better to avoid further property tax increases that are already outstripping inflation – a case in point, Woolwich plans to boost rates by six per cent this year. The property tax hikes are reason enough for the province to kibosh calls for municipalities to be given wider taxation powers, such as tolls and sales taxes. Many municipalities have proven unwise in their spending and mismanage the taxes they already collect; it would be folly to let them reach even deeper into the pockets of their ratepayers. Look no further than the financial mess that is Toronto. There, Queen’s Park has already given in to such unwise

demands, and councillors immediately turned to a slate of fee hikes, new taxes on license renewals and land transfer taxes. Also under consideration are road tolls and more taxes on beer and liquor, among others. While that concept deserves to be obliterated, municipalities do have a right to expect a bigger share of the revenues collected by senior governments. Looking to fix its fiscal situation, Ottawa downloaded costs to the provinces. In Ontario, particularly during the Harris years, the province in turn passed down the expense of many programs to the municipalities, with an inadequate share of the money to fund them. Over time, that decision put an increasing amount of strain on municipal budgets, and communities were hard-pressed to deal with immediate costs, let alone stockpile reserves for the replacement of aging infrastructure. Big-city mayors are leading the charge for more money. As the Toronto example – however ill-advised – shows, the larger centres have some clout. Smaller municipalities, such as Waterloo Region’s townships, feel left out of the debate, and may end up with the crumbs if the pie is div-

» VERBATIM

vied up for the cities. Small communities such as Woolwich and Wellesley have very little power – a small population means fewer voters, perhaps too few to warrant throwing cash our way. The small population base, however, is spread out over a comparatively large geographical area, making large demands on municipal infrastructure budgets for such things as roads and bridges. Ironically, while Woolwich and Wellesley will receive much less funding, the cost per metre of road maintenance is no less in the townships than it is in neighbouring Kitchener or Waterloo. It costs as much to span the Grand River here as it does in the cities, yet $1 million, for instance, means much more to a township budget than it does in the cities, as Wellesley Mayor Ross Kelterborn argues. Certainly larger cities have larger problems: a bigger population demands all kinds of services, and puts increasingly larger strains on municipal infrastructure … and on city coffers. But real needs exist in rural townships. If the goal is to secure more money for municipal infrastructure, then the little guys deserve a break, too.

» THE MONITOR

“I think it doesn’t make sense to look for the lowest common denominator.”

Companies that violate the law will face fines of up to $15,000 per call under new call registry legislation. The do-not-call anti-telemarketing list is due to be operational by Sept. 30.

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell and other premiers call for tougher auto emissions

CRTC

OPINION | 9

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» HARD TALK | RAFE MAIR

How New Zealand’s Labour party turned right I am a New Zealandophile. My dad was born there thus giving me dual citizenship and I’ve visited the country some 30 times since 1981. Last week we were in Auckland to help one of my best friends, a constant e-mail pal, celebrate his 90th. Needless to say, I’ve followed New Zealand politics very closely. New Zealand developed the first “welfare state” during the hard times of the 1930s. The reforms put in place under Labour prime minister Michael Joseph Savage included a reorganization of the social welfare system and the creation of the state housing scheme. In years following, New Zealand’s welfare state invention was emulated by the UK, Canada and others. Once in place, no political party would dream of altering it. New Zealand has a mixed member proportional electoral system where

50 per cent of the MPs are elected “first past the post” and the balance off a party list. (This isn’t quite accurate because five seats are reserved for Maoris). My reading of the small polls I conducted is that while the old “first past the post” is not remembered kindly, New Zealanders don’t like their MMP system largely because the parties load up, or are seen to load up the list from party hacks and incompetent pals. I heard some support for the Australian approach which is much like the single transferable vote system British Columbians narrowly failed to pass in 2006. New Zealand is an interesting political study. For many years Kiwiland depended upon the U.K. for its exports of dairy products and sheep, both as meat and as wool. In 1973, the U.K. entered what was then the common market and the main New Zealand export market all but dried up. It was at that point that the National (conservative) government ought to have developed new trading markets but they preferred to subsidize farm-

ers both directly and through huge subsidies via the nationally owned train system – classic left-wing politics one would have thought. By 1984 it was clear that this policy of National prime minister Robert Muldoon had New Zealand tottering on the brink of financial collapse and the election went to the Labour Party under David Lange. Around that time, I interviewed Richard Prebble, junior minister to Roger Douglas, the finance minister. Prebble told me how the new government took its seats around the cabinet room, with the cheers from their supporters still ringing in their ears, only to be faced by a stern, Ichabod Crane-like, senior financial mandarin who told them that the country was broke. Flat broke and defaulting on their loans. The prime minister suggested getting another loan to make the payments and was told that no one would lend them money. The country was in the same position families are in when the income can’t handle debt servicing.

What to do? One would have expected that, bearing in mind the times, a left-wing government, given its allegiance to the “welfare state” and socialism, would have just made things even worse. Well, they did and they didn’t. Immediately the government cut off all subsidies to farmers and fired 12,000 employees of the national railway. This wasn’t done gradually, but right away. They also clawed back pensions leaving many, like my friend, unable to remain retired but forced back to work. Inflation went into the 20s. In fact, you could get better than 20 per cent on your money from the bank. My friend, retired with his pension and savings, had to go back into the real estate market and try to sell houses with mortgage rates over 20 per cent. In 1985, I walked down Queens Street, Auckland’s main strip, to see business after business boarded up. One would have thought this to be the result of market driven conservaSee MAIR »10

» INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | GWYNNE DYER

Class struggle in Thailand a win for the little guy The Thai army hasn’t the faintest idea what to do next. Sixteen months ago, after weeks of a n t i - g o ve r n m e n t demonstrations by opposition party supporters in Bangkok, the military overthrew the elected government of billionaire prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing him and his wife of corruption. They put in a former general as interim prime minister, promised a swift return to democracy, and set about rewriting the constitution to give themselves a bigger permanent role in politics. They also raised the military budget sharply, presumably as a reward to themselves for saving the country from Thaksin. For a while, things went well. The coup was popular at first, at least in Bangkok. Last May, the military regime got the courts to order the dissolution of Thaksin’s party, Thai Rak Thai, and to ban 110 of its senior officials from taking part in politics for five years. But the economy stumbled, and Thai Rak Thai simply re-formed as the People Power Party (PPP). When the promised election to return the country to civilian rule was held last month, the PPP won.

It didn’t get quite enough seats to rule alone, but it has now formed a coalition with five other parties that gives it a comfortable majority of about 315 members in the 480-seat parliament. Thaksin’s party is back in power, and he says that he will be back in Thailand by April. (He has been living in self-imposed exile, claiming that he could not get a fair trial on the corruption charges while the military were still in power.) In the meantime, the PPP is being led by Samak Sundaravej, who openly says that he is Thaksin’s proxy. Thaksin has said that he does not want to return to power, but the new government will be taking his advice on a daily basis, and he could always change his mind. All of which poses a problem for the soldiers who overthrew him in September, 2006, but what is going on in Thailand is not really a military-civilian power struggle. It is a struggle between the city and the country. It was only Thaksin’s great wealth that enabled him to rise so fast in politics, for he was not a member of the traditional political class. The country’s politics have long been dominated by a Bangkok-based elite that had close ties to the bureaucracy, the military and the monarchy. Local political bosses in the provinces delivered the peasants’ votes in return for cash and favours, but Thailand was governed by and for the urban middle

class. Thaksin, the great-grandson of a Chinese immigrant, came from the north of the country, and made his money in mobile phones. He was the ultimate outsider, and when he won the 2001 election (the cleanest in Thailand’s history), he really upset the insiders. He started spending the government’s money on the villages where the majority of Thais still live: everything from a debt moratorium for farmers to micro-credit, better schools, and above all universal health-care. During his five years in office the proportion of Thais living in poverty dropped by half, and health insurance even became available to the country’s two million foreign workers. But of course this meant diverting some money from the traditional concerns of the urban middle class. The Thai economy grew strongly through all this, allowing Thaksin to pay off the country’s debt to the International Monetary Fund two years early. He was always a populist and sometimes an outright demagogue. He had a nasty authoritarian streak that came out in actions like his “war on drugs” that saw 2,700 people killed in seven weeks (the police deny that they were operating death squads, but then they would, wouldn’t they?) and his clumsy and brutal attempts to quell the insurgency in Thailand’s three mostly Muslim southern provinces.

But he won the 2005 election with an even bigger landslide than 2001. Was he corrupt? Not by the very low standards of traditional Thai political practice, if only because he was too rich to need to steal. Thailand’s traditionally dismal rating on the corruption indexes maintained by various international organizations actually improved on his watch. But then in September, 2006, to the great joy of the Bangkok middle class, he was overthrown by the army. Now that military intervention has been decisively rejected by the electorate, and the successor to the party that Thaksin created is coming back to power. The poor have spoken, and it will be difficult for the military to ignore what they have said. Real politics has reached Thailand at last. What will happen next is a series of mini-crises, as the army and the middle class struggle to come to terms with the fact that they have lost control of the country. It may even blow up into a major crisis and a new military intervention. But it is much more likely to end up with a permanent change in the nature of Thai politics. The country is leaving the “South-East Asian model” – military interventions, downtrodden peasantry, elite dominance – and moving towards the welfare-state style of democracy that prevails in most of the developed world. And a good thing, too.

sions of many and we’ve got a Catch22, especially with our ever-increasing life expectancy and pension eligibility. This cocktail of population bulge and longer life is complicated by a largely sedentary lifestyle inviting the epidemics of diabetes and kidney failure that are already upon us. It’s obvious that vested interests play a large role in this conundrum as drug

companies rake in billions as we treat ailments more often brought on by ourselves. The ridiculous and cynical rumour doing the rounds that researchers and the pharmaceutical industry are intentionally withholding a cancer cure to ensure their survival is widespread. If we dare subscribe to this notion, there is no hope for man-

» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Boomers’ wants trump failing environment To the Editor, Global warming and the possible demise of the polar bear are small potatoes compared to the fiscal juggernaut heading our way in the person of the boomers. The postwar baby glut has

begun to take in its shingle, expecting and needing pensions and medical attention, in that order. With our health care system already on life support and contributions stretched to meet pension payouts, the future seems gloomy. Factor in the problem of the inverted pyramid where a relatively small number of workers support the pen-

See LETTER »10

10 | OPINION

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Mair: Pragmatic move to the centre » From page 9

tive policies, not those of a Labour Party. This harsh program was brought in by finance minister Roger Douglas and became known as “Rogernomics.” I became acquainted with Douglas and had lunch with him when I was in NZ for my annual fishing jaunt. He consistently made the point that had his policies not been put in place, the country would have become “Third World.” Either because or in spite of “Rogernomics,” New Zealand survived and became prosperous again. This all had a profound political impact especially for the Labour Party. Just as the British Labour Party was to do, the New Zealand Labour Party, because of events, was forced to reinvent itself as a new party of the centre/ left. The Labour Party’s leader is Helen Clark,

the prime minister of New Zealand. Mrs. Clark (from New Zealand lips it sounds like “Helen Clack”) became prime minister in 1999 and has remained there until now and presumably will seek reelection next year. The Labour parties of both the UK and New Zealand have thus become parties of the centre. The lesson in all this? A message to the New Democratic Party: reposition yourselves or stay forever as a party of principles, which don’t accord with the wishes of the electorate. During our stay, Sir Edmund Hillary died and by the unanimous voice of his countrymen was granted a state funeral. Would that Canada had heroes like that. The highest paid sportsman in New Zealand? Steve Williams, who makes upwards of $2 million a year caddying for Tiger Woods.

» OBSERVER Q&A With all the talk about recession, do you plan on changing your spending habits?

“Probably, I’m going to be a bit more cautious and try to find unique products that not everybody is going to carry. I do the buying for the store here (St. Jacobs). So, you just have to make sure you have something different from everybody else.”

“I’m more cautious, I must say. And for my age I’m very concerned about my RRSPs, whether I should transfer them into Bonds and take them out of the mutual funds …”

“Probably, yeah.”

“Oh, yes., I think it makes people more cautious, which can start a recession, right? Because people are wary of kind of what’s going on, especially real estate …”

»» Lisa Hepditch

»» Diane Kingsley

»» Ken Podhornik

»» Michelle Diskic

» THE VIEW FROM HERE | SCOTT ARNOLD

Letter: Take action to save ourselves » From page 9

kind. If we are to survive what some are calling societal suicide, both physical and financial, we must take a long look in the mirror and ask, “If I’m so desperate to live a long life, why am I unwilling to take matters into my own hands and start to pump iron and eat right?” Man operates on a reward-incentive system, with the greatest carrot being the fear of death. Some have suggested a fat tax on those abusing their bodies, an idea rejected by many, for the implication is that mankind is weak and frail and unable to act rationally, a not unreasonable notion.

Small steps toward saving ourselves have been taken by Calgary recently banning trans fats and the momentous move of butting out in public places, but these are only a tip-of-the-iceberg start. What’s really wrong with a hard-hitting educational effort where, as part of the school health curriculum, youngsters visit terminal hospice units to view firsthand the effects of bodily abuse? Literature and words are insufficient to shock us into action. Our bodies should be our business, not that of government or the medical profession.

TOWNSHIP MAYORS HAVE AN EXTRA INCENTIVE TO PRY MORE MONEY FROM THE FEDS, PREFERABLY NOT ON A POPULATION BASIS.

Visit unclebobsrant.com

Jim Newton New Dundee

Join the debate.

www.unclebobsrant.com ALL THE NEWS THAT’S FIT TO PRINT PLUS A LOT OF XTRA STUFF TOO.

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

OPINION | 11

12 | BUSINESS

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» SETTING UP SHOP

Coffee and tea on the pond Wellesley couple brings to fruition a longtime desire to provide meeting place in the village When Dawn Malo moved from Baden to Wellesley Village, she immediately realized something was missing. During her walks around town, she had nowhere to go to sit down and relax, read and enjoy a coffee or tea. Now, six years after moving to town, Malo has opened her own café where she hopes locals will meet to enjoy the calm feeling of the space. “It’s something the community needs,” she said. “It’s just a beautiful place to sit out. We’ve had people come from Guelph and London and meet here – they’ve brown-bagged it because [we were] not a restaurant.” Up until now, Malo and her husband Garry have been running a framing gallery and gift shop on Wellesley’s main street and living in the adjacent building. Having always enjoyed sitting out back overlooking the pond themselves, and knowing that they had space for it, the Malos started envisioning the café a few years ago. “We get to see it [the pond] on a daily basis and there’s really not a way for people to have access to that,” Dawn explained. 3x73_RRSP.wo01-08.ad 1/9/08 To start, the Gallery Café and Tea Room will offer regular

PHOTO | VANESSA MOSS

VANESSA MOSS

TEA TIME Garry and Dawn Malo (left) test out a specialty tea created by Erin Leis (right) as they prepare to open their Gallery Café and Tea Room in Wellesley today (Saturday). The Malos already run a framing gallery and gift shop on Nafziger Road, and they hope this new venture will offer residents a place to relax.

and specialty coffee and teas, lattes and desserts. Then, gradually, Malo and the café manager Erin Leis will start experimenting with Saturday breakfasts and eventually,AMlight lunches. 11:57 Page 1 Their goal is to offer healthy

food alternatives – such as fresh fruit, granola, pitas and homemade soups – that are not currently available in town. Leis said she thinks the café will do well because without a Tim Hortons – which the

village rejected years ago – there is no place for residents to meet for coffee. “People have been waiting for us to open for a long time.” Another aspect of the café the owners think customers

will enjoy is the incorporation of the pond into its design. The tables and chairs are arranged so that people can look out the patio doors; in the spring and summer, guests will be able to move out onto the deck and down onto the grass. The Malos’ ultimate plan is to have art classes and musical concerts by the pond, as well as receptions, wedding showers and any other events the community comes up with, Dawn said. “We will grow as required.” Other ideas floating around include having different cultural nights where the food, drinks and entertainment represent a certain country. The suggestions have been almost overwhelming, Dawn admitted. For now though, the Malos want to take it slowly, enjoying what they’ve accomplished so far. Garry has spent countless hours renovating, so he is looking forward to watching people sit at the custom-made tables, chat and spend as long as they want in the yellowpainted café. “If we saw someone sitting in there with a coffee or tea, reading a book – that would be what we would want to be able to provide,” Dawn said. “The vision is coming See TEA »13

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BUSINESS | 13

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» FOOD FOR THOUGHT | OWEN ROBERTS

What if the Chinese adopt a local food policy? For fear of sounding like an opportunist, the recent cloned meat approval in the United States and Europe that I wrote about last week couldn’t have come at a better time. While that edition was being delivered to your door, I was on my way to Berlin, to represent Canada on a journalism panel dedicated to meat industry matters and media coverage. The event was part of a huge global food expo called International Green Week (www.gruenewoche.com). The panel featured agricultural media from Scotland, The Netherlands, Ireland and Canada. We came together for a mid-afternoon press conference at Green Week’s media centre, all expressing woes about low prices and, in my colleagues’ case, the influx of cheap Brazilian beef that they say is threatening their domestic meat industry. No one except me wanted to talk about cloning, which for now (but probably

not for long) is a point of differentiation between our countries. Journalists everywhere are going to have their hands full over the next little while, explaining cloned meat to their readers, listeners and viewers, and I believe the industry is under-estimating how much impact this technology could have. In the name of product labeling, consumer choice and responsible livestock rearing, farmers will be forced to wade into cloned-animal discussions. That’s one more thing to add to their plate. Farmers are still adjusting to the local food movement, which is poised to make even the most established farmers new entrepreneurs through niche marketing opportunities, and bring them the added income and responsibility that comes along with it. But in Berlin, the European journalists were more consumed with the food miles aspect of local food than they were about the cash it could bring to farmers. Perhaps it’s the Europeans’ storied and heightened environmental awareness that makes them that way. They certainly have a keen interest in food

Tea: Responding to demand » From page 12

through the way we anticipated. We just want to give a place for people to kind of relax and not have the pressure.” “It’s just important to us that people like it, accept it and show up once in a while. [And] if it works really well,

it was my idea,” Garry added with a laugh. The Gallery Café and Tea Room is located at 3706 Nafziger Rd. Its grand opening is set for today (Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The café will normally be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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safety, and the potential for diseases to spread quickly throughout their densely populated continent. So, the fewer the miles travelled, the better. It was the Scottish journalist who sounded the most proud of how few miles it took Scottish meat to reach homegrown consumers in his relatively small country. He considered the short distance a selling point to consumers, and wondered aloud how many food miles had been tallied by products from afar, such as China (he could have cited Canada, too, but let me out of that headlock). His comment about the Far East hit me right between the eyes. While we all flinch waiting for the next unrelenting wave of cheap Chinese consumer goods, especially vehicles, we also look longingly at China as a place to exploit for food exports. Beleaguered pork producers have it on their radar screen now. Meat consumption is rising there as the standard of living improves. International Meat Secretariat President Paddy Moore, who had travel problems and was represented on the Berlin panel by a fellow Irishman, International Federation of Agricultural Journalists president David Markey, says China will be a growing market for meat. But Moore also told American agricultural journalist Mike Wilson in a previous interview that as China brings its consumption of meat up to a western standard, a lot of that demand will be filled by Chinese farmers. It’s more than capable – the meat industry there already accounts for more than 28 per cent of worldwide meat production.

That made me think about Chinese consumers going to their local market or grocery store just like we do, looking at some generic steaks, chops or whatever, and saying to each other the equivalent of “Where do you reckon that came from?” And if they couldn’t figure it out, or if they ultimately determined it had a few thousand food miles on it or originated from somewhere they consider a questionable source, might they be ripe for their own local food movement? I think so. They already have one, out of necessity. But I’m talking about the same kind of local food drive we have in Canada and other affluent countries, born out of the desire for quality, concern for the environment and support for neighbouring farmers. I don’t know when it will happen, but I’m sure Chinese people care as much about their health and their kids’ future as we do, and when they get the political and economic chance, local food might take on a new meaning for them, just as it has here. That’s when exporters, such as Canadians, need to be standing by with trunkfulls of information about their meat industry, explaining why farmers here produce such excellent products, and why Chinese consumers should buy them, food miles and all. It’s yet another example of how food production success will increasingly rely on branding, marketing and communications, right alongside safety and quality.

14 | SPORTS

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» MID-WESTERN JUNIOR B

Local players get a chance to perform before scouts Two Jacks take part in SOJHL all-star game; two Kings get noticed in prospects match

PHOTO | vanessa moss

VANESSA MOSS

CLOSING IN The Elmira Sugar Kings’ Jeremy Hilliard challenges Kitchener Dutchmen goalie Matthew Smith in Elmira home-ice action Jan. 20. Hilliard’s tying goal set the stage for a 3-2 overtime victory.

Kings in playoff mode

Tight play sees Elmira edge Kitchener Dutchmen 3-2 in overtime match VANESSA MOSS The real deal may still be a month away, but playoff season starts now for the Elmira Sugar Kings, who took out the Kitchener Dutchmen 3-2 in overtime Sunday night. “The next 10 to 12 games, we’re treating it like playoffs,” said goalie Dan Morrison. “We’re just taking it one game at a time, but we’re trying to take that mindset in and not take a night off; hopefully by playoff time we will

already be rolling.” The Kings did indeed roll out in full force Jan. 20 at home, out-shooting the Dutchmen 18-8 in the first. At the end of that frame, the game was tied 1-1 as Kitchener drew first blood, followed by Brock Zinken’s goal at 18:16, with Garrett Rank and Jeremy Hilliard picking up assists. “I thought our first was our best,” coach Geoff Haddaway said. “We controlled the play.” After a strong start, the team let up a little in the second period, and Kitch-

ener took advantage at 10:34. “We just kind of settled down, took our foot off the gas pedal: Kitchener’s a really hardworking team, so that caught up to us,” Haddaway explained. Someone who did not lose steam was Hilliard, who used a Dutchmen penalty to hit the net at 12:53, tying things up at two on a pass from John Lunney and Zinken. After the third period failed to decide the game, Pat Shantz (Brent Freeman) scored at 3:05 in overtime to put anothSee KINGS »18

The Wellesley Applejack All-Stars and the Elmira Sugar King prospects enjoyed winning ways last week at their respective showcase games. The McConnell Conference of the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League beat their Yeck counterparts 10-9 on Jan. 19. Meanwhile, the MidWestern/Western Junior Bs defeated the Golden-Horseshoe/Western team 5-4 on Jan. 21. Sugar King coach Geoff Haddaway said he thought the Junior B game went well, and that his players made the most of it. “Dan Morrison made some exceptional saves and Trent Brown got an assist and was very visible on the ice – played really well.” Haddaway added that college scouts approached him about both players after the game, but he can’t reveal which ones quite yet. Scouting benefits aside, Morrison thought the experience was fun, especially being able to meet players he has been keeping tabs on all season. “I thought I played well. I didn’t have many shots, too many opportunities, but it was really good.” In the case of the Junior Ds, both See ALL-STARS »15

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SPORTS | 15

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» THE NOT-SO-GREAT OUTDOORSMAN | STEVE GALEA

Here’s hoping all goes well in building my own boat I spent almost all of last evening looking at blueprints for the boat I am going to build in March – and to be honest, the lines seemed all wrong. Fortunately, my wife pointed out that I was holding the plans upside down. Believe it or not, this sort of thing makes a difference when it comes to boats. The craft that I’m building, under the watchful eye of an experienced boat builder friend of mine, is a 15-and-a-half-foot wooden rowing boat that, with a few modifications, will be ideal for fly fishing the lakes around my home. It will allow me to row it with ease but it can also handle a four-horse outboard motor quite nicely, so trolling will be a dream too. As you would expect, I’m excited,

and not just because of the boat. No, sir, I ’m looking into the legalities of the whole thing. After all, once I’m at the helm of this boat, I’ll finally fulfill my lifelong dream of being a captain. Believe me, I’m ready for it too. Heck, I’ve been waiting my whole life for the chance. My skill at this will be no idle coincidence either. I’ve studied countless episodes of the Love Boat; watched Titanic several times, studied Quint in Jaws, and once tried to get past the first chapter of “Moby Dick.” As a result, I think I know a thing or two about being a captain. This duty, of course, changes a man. For one thing, I hope to be allowed to perform weddings and funerals once on the open water. This might not seem very important, but it is. It means when I take a couple of fishing buddies out and they begin outfishing me, I’ll threaten to bind them in holy matrimony, whether they want it or

not, if they don’t divulge the fly and technique that’ s working for them. If that doesn’t get it out of them, I’ve always got the option of making them walk the plank. Naturally, this kind of power should not be abused – at least not without one of those really great captain’s hats. That’s why I’ve thought carefully about it and have settled for one of those Greek captain’s hats with the short brim and gold braid. They go well with a dark sweater and a pipe. Having the right hat, by the way, adds to the authority and mystique of being a bona fide captain. So too does the judicious use of nautical terms like larboard, keel, and stern. I’ve also been practicing my salty talk, which I imagine I’ll perfect each time I hit my thumb with

a hammer during the construction phase of my boat. I believe I’ll call it Hope. Admittedly, it’s not a very manly name, but I will counteract that by regularly spilling squid guts all over the deck. That’ s just one of the many great things a captain can do. I’d also like at least one cannon on the prow but I suspect that our current firearms legislation will prevent this. At the very least, I’ll don a cutlass. And I’ll build myself a peg leg, just in case I get carried away with it. Yep, I’ve got big plans for Hope. Once I get her out on the open water this spring, I’ll be the scourge of our local lakes. Before long, stories of our exploits will abound. Sailors will compose sea shanties and sing them on the wharves as they’re coiling rope. Provided, of course, that Hope floats.

Twin Centre squad takes Orangeville tourney

» From page 14

Wes Hauck and Scott Litt made good impressions; the former racked up a goal and two assists and the latter put out two assists that unfortunately, the scorekeepers failed to notice. “Two times, Scott sent guys in on breakaways and they scored, and both times guys who got his assists were sitting on the bench. So he kind of got ripped off on some points, but they both played well,” Jacks coach Kevin Lob-

singer said. Hauck demonstrated his speed and sportsmanlike nature in Saturday’s game. Near the end, he passed to a teammate looking for a hat trick on an empty net instead of taking the point himself. “That just shows you the class that Wes has.” For the rest of the game, fans were entertained by lots of goals, but almost no body contact, something Lobsinger is not used to

seeing. “It was a typical floater all-star game,” he said. In the last two minutes of play, the McConnell Conference coach from Delhi wanted to maintain his team’s lead, so he put Litt on the ice to make sure the opponents wouldn’t tie things up, a real vote of confidence, Lobsinger said. “It was nice to see that other coaches see and respect Scott’s defensive ability as well, not just us.”

PHOTO | submitted

All-stars: Participants make favourable impressions

GOLDEN IN ORANGEVILLE The Twin Centre Bantam B team won an Orangeville tournament Jan. 20, beating the home team 2-1 in the gold medal game. Front row: Amanda Runstedler (left), Jenna Bott, Carly Labord, Madison Holman, Erin Stemmler, Megan Bott, Kallie Doak. Back row: assistant coach Rod Stemmler, trainer Julie Neeb, Hilary Neeb, Stephanie Straus, coach Rod Straus, Ainslee Smith, Leane Howarth, Jessica Finney, assistant coach Bernie Howarth.

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16 | SPORTS

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Hundreds try their hands at hoops as Knights host free throw event

PHOTO | vanessa moss

Basketballs were flying all over the Park Manor Public School gym in Elmira Jan. 20, as the Knights of Columbus held their annual free throw competition. Sponsored by the Fr. Hugh McKinnon Council 8192, the event saw 545 students from Linwood (L), Conestogo (C), St. Jacobs (SJ), Park Manor (PM) and St. Teresa of Avila (ST) schools battle it out for top honours. About 60 then competed in Sunday’s event. First- and second-place winners were awarded with medallions Jan. 20, and will represent council 8192 at the district competition today (Saturday) at St. David Catholic Secondary School in Waterloo.

AT THE READY Jenna Kudoba, 12 (left), Kayleigh Moser, 13, Leah Baxter, 12, and Kathleen Zizzo, 12 take a break from shooting hoops during the Knights of Columbus annual free throw competition Jan. 20.

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ON THE BALL Daniel Baxter, 10, takes each shot seriously as he participates in the Knights of Columbus free throw competition Jan. 20 at Park Manor Public School in Elmira.

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SPORTS | 17

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Rough-and-tumble victory for Jacks VANESSA MOSS While Wellesley fans froze in their seats, the Applejacks turned up the heat Sunday night as they trounced the Hagersville Hawks 7-2. “It was nice to see us finally put some good numbers up on Hagersville,” coach Kevin Lobsinger said. Ranked one spot below the Jacks [19-12-3] in the McConnell Conference of the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League, the Hawks [13-21-3] have managed to take four of six games from the Jacks this season, making each matchup a rough-andtumble battle. This time around was no exception, with Hagersville coming out strong in the first, taking a 2-0 lead by the end of 20 minutes. The Jacks, on the other hand, racked up a pile of penalties, but not much else, a trend their coach hasn’t enjoyed watching the last few games. “The first period, boy, it looked like we were a team that had a month off, not a week off. “It’s much nicer getting that lead in the first period and making them battle back instead of us always having to battle back.” Following a first intermission pep talk from their coach, the Jacks turned their game around in the second frame, scoring five in a row – three of them shorthanded. “The second period [it] seemed we finally found our feet,” Lobsinger said. Pat Doyle was first in the run, taking a pass from Wes Hauck and tipping the puck in the top corner. Brett VanGerwen then scored unassisted at

Buckets Buckets

10:01, followed by Owen Engel’s breakaway goal at 13:11, assisted by Kurt Atchison. Nine seconds later, VanGerwen (Will Metske) made it 4-2 for the Jacks to round out the team’s string of shorthanded goals. “There were some pretty goals out there,” Lobsinger said. “If you score three shorthanded goals in a five-minute span, you deserve to win a hockey game.” Dan Berwick (Atchison) then added to the Jacks’ tally at 17:41, only to get crosschecked from behind into the post. When the Hawks’ offender wasn’t called on this unsportsmanlike conduct, the Jacks got a little angry. “That’s where it gets hard to control your bench,” Lobsinger said of the play. “That’s the type of stuff that leads to big fights in hockey games.” Going into the third, Lobsinger’s prediction played out as scraps dictated the game’s flow. When all was said and done, the Jacks ended up with two more points to end it 7-2 (Atchison unassisted at 8:16 and at 12:43 from Berwick), along with 50 penalty minutes on 20 infractions; the Hawks had 40 minutes on 15. In this case, the penalties didn’t hurt them since the Hawks only capitalized on one of 13 power plays, but in playoffs, it will likely be a different story. Lobsinger said he will encourage the guys to take out their aggression in positive ways, rather than incurring retaliation penalties. “Get even with the guy on a clean body check later. Put the puck in the

Buckets Grapple Bucket

PHOTO | vanessa moss

After a slow start, Wellesley bounces back to beat up on Hagersville 7-2 in penalty-filled home game

PAYING A PRICE Wellesley’s Dan Berwick puts one in the net to make it 5-2 for the home team, but gets cross-checked from behind for it by Hagersville’s Travis Smith; the Jacks went on to win the Jan. 20 match 7-2. net. Nothing hurts more You go into Hagersville get colder in that arena night as the team takes than when you put the and I’m unzipping my as we go on.” on the Ayr Centennials puck in the other team’s coat halfway through the Wellesley fans caught at 7:30 p.m. Their threenet. I would much rather game. … You don’t see the Jacks at home last game weekend rounds take a slash on the back people unzipping their night against the St. up in Port Dover Sunday of my legs than watch a coats in Wellesley. George Dukes and will afternoon against the team score a goal.” “[And] it’s only going to get another chance to- Sailors. Now with only eight games left in their regular season, the Jacks are trying to close in on the top-ranked teams, hoping to get as much home-ice time in the playoffs as possible. The Wellesley coach said that factor will be crucial to the team’s success. “Speaking as a coach who was on the visiting bench for three years, it [Wellesley] is a very tough arena to play in.

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18 | SPORTS

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Kings: Hard work nets the win » From page 14

er in the win column. A former Dutchmen himself, Morrison was pleased with his team’s drive Sunday night, and was glad they came out of it with bragging rights. “It’s a big game for me. I like playing [Kitchener]: it gets me motivated. I don’t want to see them scoring on me because I know I’ll hear about it, so it keeps me

[going].” Morrison added that it was good to see all players doing their part on the ice so that he could concentrate on his own position. “Everyone played well, everyone played hard and it was a lot of fun.” Haddaway was also impressed with how well the team worked as a unit and he just hopes the guys keep it up over the next few weeks.

SCORECARD Woolwich Boys Atom AE Jan. 16 - Playoffs

Hespeler 7 Woolwich 2 Goals: Adam Jokic, Troy Nechanicky (Brant McLaughlin, Eric Bader) Jan. 19 - OMHA playoffs game 2

Hespeler 4 Woolwich 2 Goals: Adam Jokic, Brant McLaughlin Jan. 20 - OMHA playoffs game 3

Woolwich 4 Hespeler 3 Goals: Eric Bader, Adam Jokic x2, Austin Horst (Nathan Schwarz, Brant McLaughlin)

PHOTO | vanessa moss

Woolwich Girls Pee Wee B

WAITING IN ANTICIPATION Sugar Kings captain John Lunney looks for a pass in front of the Kitchener net shortly after Brock Zinken’s goal that tied things up in the first period. Elmira forced the game into overtime, emerging with a 3-2 victory Jan. 20.

Jan. 17

Woolwich 1 Guelph 1 Goal: Shoena Hinsperger (Tori Marin, Jennifer Norris) Jan. 18

Orangeville BB Tournament - Game 1 Ann Arbour, Michigan 3 Woolwich 0 Jan. 19 - Game 2

Woolwich 1 Brampton 1 Goal: Jennifer Norris (Sarah Church, Leanne Martin) Game 3 West Northumberland 1 Woolwich 0 Jan. 21

Woolwich 3 North Halton 1 Goals: Meghan Hovey (Melanie Schwartzentruber, Lauren Lawson), Melanie Schwartzentruber (Lea Olsthoorn, Lauren Lawson), Jennifer Norris (Tori Martin)

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Woolwich Novice LL #1 Rangers

Jan. 19 - Harriston Tournament “B” Champs

Rangers 2 LL #2 Penguins 3 Goals: Keanan Stewart, Riley Runstedler (Mac Willms)

Woolwich II 4 St Mary’s 3 Goals: Brock MacDonald (Conor Jansen, Sean Wilton), Colin Hartwick (Nick Eastman), Tanner Horst (Owen Griffith), Brock MacDonald Jan. 19

Walkerton II 3 Woolwich II 2 Goals: Conor Jansen, Brock MacDonald (Cole Martin) Woolwich II 5 Walkerton Larsen’s 4 Goals: Jacob Hahn x2, Jordi Baird (Jacob Hahn), Tanner Horst (Zachary Goetz), Brock MacDonald (Conor Jansen, Cole Martin)

Woolwich Wildcats Minor Atom A Jan. 19 – OMHA Play Downs Round 1

Woolwich 3 Owen Sound 0 Goals: Greg Huber (Garrett Schultz), Connor Goss (Mason Buehler, Greg Huber), Garrett Schultz (Kelby Martin, Mathieu Fife) Shutout: Connor Duench Hard Hat Recipient: Connor Bauman Jan. 20 Final Score: Guelph 1 Woolwich 0

Woolwich Major Midget A Jan. 19 – OMHA Round Robin Playoff Game 1

Hespeler 5 Woolwich 2 Goals: Damien Parent (Lucas Baleshta), RJ Good (Nick Pope, Steve Clement)

Woolwich LL #5

Twin Centre 1 Walkerton 0 Goal: Leanne Howorth (Jenna Bott, Stephanie Straus)

Jan. 19

Twin Centre 2 Milverton 2 Goals: Stephanie Straus (Megan Bott, Jenna Bott), Ainsley Smith (Carly Labord, Jenna Bott) Jan. 20

Twin Centre 3 Kitchener 0 Goals: Megan Bott x2 (Stephanie Straus), Stephanie Straus Twin Centre 3 Walkerton 0 (Semi- Final) Goals: Ainsley Smith x3 (Carly Labord) Twin Centre 2 Orangeville 1 (Gold Medal Game) Goals: Megan Bott (Stephanie Straus, Madison Holman), Stephanie Straus (Megan Bott, Madison Holman)

Woolwich 9 Beverly #2 0 Goals: Beb Lenaers (Daniel Gallant, Joshua Martin), Nick Ravelle (Sheldon Metzger), Sheldon Metzer x3 (Nick Ravelle x 2, Earl Schwartz x 2, Ben Lenaers), Daniel Gallant (Earl Schwartz), Liam Catton (Jordan Lee, Chad Hoffer), Earl Schwartz (Jordan Lee), Sheldon Metzger (Nick Ravelle), Jordan Lee Shutout: Ryan Conrad

Woolwich Major Novice A Jan. 19

Woolwich 3 Guelph 2 Goals: Jack DeBoer x3 (Jacob Uridil x2,Tyson Bender, Issac Frey)

Woolwich Atom LL 2 Jan. 19

Jan. 18

Woolwich 1 New Hamburg #2 7 Goal: Joe Hanley (Kurt Michael)

Tavistock 2 Woolwich 0

Woolwich Junior Ringette

Woolwich Peewee LL#1

Jan. 19

Tavistock 7 Woolwich 2 Goals: Conner Venier, Nathan MacDonald (Jordan Arndt, Tyson Brown)

Woolwich Novice LL#3, P.I.B. Panthers Jan. 19

Woolwich 11 Twin Centre #1 4 Goals: Liam Hartman x5 (Kyle Martin, Eli Baldin x2, Sam Davidson, Cameron Brown x3, Bradley hale, Zac Pickard, Owen Lucier), Cameron Brown x2 (Pierre Fife, Bradley Hale, Kyle Martin, Devin Williams), Zac Pickard x2 (Mathew Uhrig x2, Pierre Fife, Devin Williams), Mathew Uhrig (Zac Pickard, Matthew Teng), Sam Davidson (Justin Taylor, Pierre Fife)

To submit scores, e-mail Vanessa: vmoss@observerxtra.com

Woolwich Wildcats Boys Local League Peewee Team 2

Jan. 18 - Orangeville Tournament

Jan. 19

“Everyone’s got to contribute in the role that we’ve asked them to fulfill; if they do that, then we’re usually successful.” The Kings have a busy week ahead of them with a game in Stratford against the Cullitons Friday, a home match against the Brantford Golden Eagles Sunday night at 7 p.m. and a Tuesday night game in Kitchener.

Jan. 19

Woolwich 6 Elora-Fergus 2 Goals: Michelle Poole x3, Nikki Bisbee x3 (Meghan O’Hara, Nikki Kutchaw x2, Christina Wilkinson, Kelly Barnes x2, Shelley Shantz, Michelle Poole Woolwich Wild Midget C Girls Jan. 19

Woolwich 1 Stratford 0 Goal: Chantelle Bauman (Kassi Fritz)

Woolwich Atom Local League #1 Jan. 19

Woolwich 4 Twin Centre 4 Goals: Luke Charter, Tyler Martin (Jake Bruder), Isaac Fishbein (Keaton Sanders, Jared Beacom), Eddie Huber

Jan. 19

Woolwich Boys Novice LL Red Wings Jan. 19

Woolwich Red Wings 6 Ayr 1 Goals: James Cooper, Luke Haugerud, Lukas Shantz, Cade Schaus, Mitch Rempel, Sammy Huber (Lukas Shantz, Cole Altman x2, Matthew MacDonald, Riley Weigel, Tegan Schaus, Austin Whittom, Kyle Bruder x2, Nolan McLaughlin, Dylan Smith, Mitch Rempel)

Woolwich Minor Midget Jan. 20

Woolwich 6 Hespeler 3 Goals: Lukas Baleshta x2, Jonathon Weber x2, Andrew Moore x2 (James Toronchuk, Josh Wade x2, Austin Trapp x2, R.J. Good, Lukas Baleshta x2, Nolan Beatty

Woolwich Boys Bantam AE Jan. 20

Georgetown 7 Woolwich 0

Woolwich Wild Girls Atom C Jan. 20

Mitchell 2 Woolwich 1 Goal: Gillian Olsthoorn (Claire Hanley, Erika Morrison)

Woolwich Minor Bantam A Jan. 20 - Playoffs

Burlington 6 Woolwich 2 Goals: Brayden Stevens (Weston Morlock, Justin Schlupp), Ryan Ament (Logan White)

Twin Centre Bantam LL Jan. 19

Twin Centre 1 Kitchener 0 Goals: Hannah Snider (Natasha Jantzi, Callie Churchill) Jan. 20

Stratford 3 Twin Centre 0

Midget 1 Jan. 16

Twin Centre 2 Woolwich 1 Goals: Meggy McTavish, Kaytlin Uberig (Shelby Smit) Jan. 21

Twin Centre 2 2 Twin Centre 1 2 Goals: Sharlyn Denstedt, Kaytlin Uberig (Meggy McTavish, Jenna Voisin, Lacey Smith)

Midget 2 Jan. 21

Twin Centre 2 2 Twin Centre 1 2 Goals: Sarah Jantzi x2 (Emily Erb, Cassie Hergott, Lori Bauman, Hannah Boehm)

Midget B Jan. 19

Twin Centre 3 Lambeth 3 Goals: Steph Baril, Contessa Brenner, Kailey Esbaugh (Melanie Freeman, Kaitlyn Jantzi, Lauri Reid, Steph Baril, Contessa Brenner) Jan. 20

Twin Centre 1 Norfolk 1 Goal: Courtney Bisch (Steph Baril, Contessa Brenner)

ENTERTAINMENT | 19

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

» ON STAGE

Play charts the uneasy course of love The minefield that is Valentine’s Day approaches, leaving many guys mulling over the correct choice when it comes to handling the women in their lives. Cluelessness and mismatched expectations will abound. Imagine having to extend the wooing efforts over seven centuries. In Ten Times Two, the upcoming production by the Elmira Theatre Company, the boy-meets-girl story takes many twists and turns – all of them comic – as Ephraim tries to capture the heart of Constance. The immortal Ephraim (played by Brad Finch) first lays eyes on the serving-wench Constance (Tracey Kenyon) as she works in an English pub in 1399. Goaded on by a bet with a fellow immortal, the mysterious host who watched over him (Gord Cameron), the arrogant and troubled Ephraim vows to make her profess love for him. Things don’t go smoothly, and Ephraim is forced to pursue her over the centuries as Constance is reincarnated every 75 years, appearing as an astonishing range of women, from the queen’s lady-in-waiting to a swineherd. Following their antics from 1399 to 2075, the audience

journeys along to discover if Ephraim learns anything about life and love along the way, says the play’s director. “He thinks he’s God’s gift to women, but she’s not interested. She keeps coming back as different types of women, and he’s always one step behind in figuring out how to treat her – he tries to treat a refined lady like she’s a barmaid,” explained Deb Deckert. Cursed with immortality, perhaps Ephraim has to learn to be human to finally get what he wants. In the hands of playwright David Belke, a simple love story takes on all kinds of complications. That in turn makes life interesting for the cast and crew of Ten Times Two. “This is really 10 period pieces as the setting jumps every 75 years,” said Deckert, noting that ETC crews have been in overdrive creating sets and amassing props to cover the time period between the Middle Ages and the present. Ephraim and Constance come together in the same pub where they first met, but the building is transformed over the years from coach house inn to hotel to restaurant to historical site. The actors have only half a minute at a time to change costumes and wigs as necessary to prepare for the 75-year jump to the next scene, mean-

THROUGH THE AGES Tracey Kenyon (Constance) and Brad Finch (Ephraim) rehearse a scene from the Elmira Theatre Company’s production of Ten Times Two, which opens Feb. 1 at the Howard Avenue hall.

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ing the costumes require some ingenious designs and each actor will have two dressers to hurry them along when it’s showtime. Along with the quick-change artistry, the actors have had to master a range of accents, swordplay, dancing and personas appropriate to the everchanging times. Equally daunting have been the design and lighting work behind the scenes, she said. All of the effort adds up to a production ETC plans to showcase in the Western Ontario Drama League competition, its first entry since 2002. The show will be judged during its run, with the top five plays from among theatre groups in southwestern Ontario heading to a festival Mar. 10-15 in Chatham. For now, the group is looking forward to opening in Elmira next weekend. A romantic comedy with some swagger, the show’s theme lends itself to February’s Valentine festivities, said Deckert. The Elmira Theatre Company production of Ten Times Two runs Feb. 1-3, Feb. 8-10, and Feb. 15-16 at 76 Howard Ave. Show times are 8 p.m., except Sundays (2:30 p.m.). Tickets are $17, available at the Centre in the Square box office in Kitchener by calling 5781570 or 1-800-265-8977, online at www.centre-square.com.

Squash | Cabbage Dried Flowers Onions | Shallots Apples Potatoes Local Honey Apple Butter

Bakery

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FARM FRESH EGGS

Meat Counter

Pork Sausages/Ribs/Chops/Cold Cuts Bacon | Ham | Head Cheese/Liver Wurst Black Angus Beef Right from our farm Most cuts available

OF EASY DRINKING MERLOT OR UNOAKED CHARDONAY

SPECIAL OFFER AVAILABLE Saturday January 26, 2008 to Thursday January 31, 2008 Limited supply. First come, first served basis only.

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Elmira Theatre Company stages Ten Times Two, a comedic look at wooing through the centuries

Winterbourne

Lundy Rd.

221 Katherine St. N., Winterbourne | 519.664.0556

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Telephone....................519.669.5790 Toll Free .......................1.888.966.5942 Fax...............................519.669.5753 Email............................info@observerextra.com

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HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED

FOR SALE

Live In Care Giver Elderly couple requires full-time live in assistance in Elmira home. RWAM Insurance Administrators Inc. has an immediate opening for a:

Group Underwriting Assistant Reporting directly to the Underwriting Manager, this position is responsible for preparation of manual rates for proposals and costings; preparation of proposals for presentation to our clients; preparing supporting documentation for renewal calculations; mailing, copying and filing of annual renewals; providing support for filing, report ordering and other general office duties as required. Experience is needed with computer systems such as Word and Excel. RWAM is Canadian-owned, innovative and a leader in the insurance industry. www.RWAM.com Please send or fax your resume in confidence by Wednesday January 30th, 2008, to the attention of Human Resources, RWAM Insurance Administrators Inc., 49 Industrial Drive, Elmira, Ontario, N3B 3B1 Fax 519-669-1923. Ldemerling@pib.com

FULL-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT/SECRETARY A minimum of 2 years customer service & office experience is required. Must have excellent written, verbal, and customer service skills. Knowledge of rural Waterloo/Wellington an asset. $13-15 per hour with benefits after 3 months. Email: biobobs@hotmail.com Fax: 519-648-3542 Mail: General Manager, Bio-Bob’s Septic Service 1755 Lonsdale Road Breslau, Ontario N0B 1M0 We wish to thank all applicants in advance. Only those selected for interviews will be contacted. No phone calls please.

We are seeking hardworking and devoted individuals for immediate employment as

GENERAL LABOURERS We offer full time employment, competitive wages and benefits. Apply: s IN PERSON AT 2EID 7OODS $R %LMIRA s BY FAX s BY MAIL 0/ "OX %LMIRA /NTARIO . " !

HELP WANTED

Full

HELP WANTED

And Part Time POTTER’S positions available. ASSISTANT Call Cher’s Hair Trends S h o p o r g a n i z a t i o n , 519-656-1028. sales, pottery assembly and handling. No pottery experience necessary. 519-664-2630 10a.m.-6p.m. TuesdayYou came to the Saturday. right spot.

Looking for work?

Duties to include: s COOKING MEALS s HOME CLEANING s ADMINISTERING DAILY MEDICATION s ASSISTING WITH PERSONAL HYGIENE s ENTERTAINMENT AND COMPANIONSHIP

0AST EXPERIENCE AS A CARE GIVER OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FOR !LZHEIMER PATIENCE WOULD BE AN asset. &REE ROOM AND BOARD ALONG WITH A COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION PACKAGE WILL BE provided. Please send resume to: Fax 519-894-5275 E MAIL BZINGER KISSNER COM Phone 519-894-0202

LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

FAST and FREE Delivery Service

/FlCE SUPPLY STORE AND COPY CENTRE IS LOOKING FOR

2 PART-TIME EMPLOYEES s -UST BE AVAILABLE 3ATURDAYS AND AFTER SCHOOL ON 4HURSDAY AND &RIDAY NIGHTS s #OMPUTER LITERACY AND A SMILE IS A MUST $ROP OFF RESUMĂ? AT THE STORE

10 Church St. W., Elmira

Elmira’s LARGEST selection of major brand computers

COMPUTERS LAPTOPS MONITORS and SERVICE Come see our showroom at:

112 Bonnie Crescent, Crescent Elmira r ra

519-669-5551

WANTED

automotive

automotive

A t t e n t i o n

2 0 0 4

Will pick up your un- Upper floor of century

Women Hockey Players. Do you want ice time for pickup Hockey Sunday mornings, RIM Park Waterloo. June, July and August? Dianne 519-742-0898, please leave message.

AUTOMOTIVE

1997 GMC Sierra 1500

extended cab pickup, 201,000kms, e-tested, INSIDE SALES PERSON new tonneau cover, good A local industrial distributor is looking for condition, $6000. Call inside sales representatives. The successful 519-664-3408. candidates will be required to deal with walk- 2002 Dodge Durango in and telephone customers in a courteous and SLT + 4X4- 4.7L V8, auto, load including leather professional manner. Strong communication, full interior. Rr. air & 3 rd seat. organizational and computer skills are a must. Finished in black/silver gray interior. Only 106,500 kms Please fax resumÊs to 519-578-9540 $14,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831. 2003 Dodge Caravan VOLUNTEERS FOR SALE Sport. 3.3L V-6 auto. trans. WANTED Toy Tractors; The air, tilt/cruise, PW, PDVolunteers needed Muppets Show collect- locks, one owner, finished for the Revenue Can- able figurines, new in in I.Red. 96,000 kms. ada Income Tax Pro- boxes; cast iron dog and $10,900. Voisin Chrysler, gram. Woolwich Com- horses; Pyrex bowls. On 519-669-2831. munity Services will be silent auction at MCC hosting the Revenue Thrift and Gift, 59 Church Canada Volunteer Pro- Street West Elmira. gram again this year. If 519-669-8475. you have a few hours to Wa s he r a nd e le c spare, through March tric dryer - Free. 20 and April, please con- years old but work well sider helping with this 519-669-8686. program. The returns are straight forward. Rev- PETS enue Canada training will be Wednesday, Feb. Barn Cats/Kittens, 6th, 2008 from 9:00 to Free. Would also make 12:00 at the WCS Of- good house pets and fice 73 Arthur St.. Call companions, very friendly, 519-669-5139 for infor- beautiful markings. Call 519-669-5906. mation and to register. Free adult barn cats, FOR SALE 519-669-1420.

Dodge Ram 1500 SLT 4X4 Quad Cab. 5.7L Hemi, auto od, all SLT features plus off road package, tow package, tonneau cover, plus more. Only 59,525 kms. $24,900. Voisin Chrysler, 519-669-2831. 2 0 0 6 C h r y s l e r P T Cruiser - 2.4L. auto trans., fully loaded incl. aluminum road wheels. Finished in bright silver met. Only 39,566 kms. $12,900. Voisin Chrysler, 519-669-2831. 2007 Dodge Gr. Carvan SE - 3.3L V-6, auto, full load including p.driver seat, alum. road wheels, rear air, Stow N Go. 4 available. $18,900. Voisin Chrysler, 519-669-2831. T r u c k , 2 0 0 3 F o r d F-150 XTR crew cab, 4 wheel drive, 5.4L, V8, 57,500kms, certified. Asking $18,900 519-669-5344.

wanted or scrap car or truck. I will pay you up to $150 for your full-size scrapper. Call Brad @ 519-572-0987 for quick and free removal.

RENTALS

For Rent: 2 bedroom

apartment in quiet building close to downtown Drayton. $750 per month plus hydro. Available March 1, 2008. First and last required. Please call Wendy Taylor for your appointment, 519-669-1544. In-Law suite for rent. Private, newly renovated. Owner can provide weekly cleaning or laundry. Heat, hydro and all appliances included, $650 per month. Call Willis 519-638-2699. One Bedroom Apartment for rent. Lots of living space. $750/mth. Heat, hydro, fridge & stove included. 519-669-5526.

rentals home, 1 bedroom apartment, separate entrance, 2 car parking, everything is new! Kitchen, appliances, carpet, blinds, paint. Available Feb 1st, $700 + hydro. 519-884-8458. Winterbourne - 1 bedroom apt, main floor. Ideal for non-smoking tenant. $590 per month, utilities included. No pets. Ph. 519-664-2701.

COMM/IND FOR RENT

Commercial

Lease Previously Selby’s Meat Shop with all equipment ready for lease. Could be used for other businesses. 1200 or 2300 sq/ft call for details 519-590-4110.

100% Local. Period. Winter’s return brings poor driving conditions

Navy

couch, loveseat and recliner, $650; Also 2 end tables, coffee table and 100% wool area rug. Details call 519-669-2449.

Looking

for good home for 5 month old black lab cross, female housebroken, up to date shots, 519-669-7680.

Mega

Mutts unique once a year in-home Need To Incorporate? class session. 6 weeks Inactive corporation for $225 limited space. sale effective July 1, Pre-register, Holly Tea2007. 519-741-6613 han 519-669-8167 Snowblower, 3ph, www.megamutts.com 7ft single auger. Cement mixer with motor, excellent. Phone 519-699-5399.

OFF COURSE This ditched car on Line 86 near Reid Woods Drive west of Elmira was one of a few vehicles that left area roads due to slippery conditions on the morning of Jan. 18. PHOTO | VANESSA MOSS

CLASSIFIEDS | 21

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Community Information Page THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH "Proudly remembering our past; confidently embracing our future."

P.O. BOX 158, 69 ARTHUR ST. S. ELMIRA, ONTARIO N3B 2Z6 WEBSITE: www.woolwich.ca

TEL: 519-669-1647 or 519-664-2613 PLAN/ENG: 519-669-8706 FAX: 519-669-1820

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY: 519-575-4504

REVIEW OF VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE OPERATIONS AND SERVICES

NOTICE TO RESIDENTS

WE WANT YOUR INPUT!

TAKE NOTICE that the Council of the Township of Woolwich intends to adopt the following 2008 budgets as required by section 290 of the Municipal Act, 2001:

Council is currently in the process of reviewing how we provide Visitor Information Centre services in Woolwich. One of the potential options that is being evaluated is the re-location of visitor information centre services in Elmira from the current location to the new Township Administration building. This re-location would not occur until a new Economic Development and Tourism Officer is on staff. Please note it is proposed that the Visitor Information Centre would remain open from mid-May to mid-October at the Farmers Market in St. Jacobs. To view the staff report, log onto the main page of the Township's website www.woolwich.ca and look for the link. Or you can contact the office at (519) 669-1647 ext. 266 and request a copy. We look forward to your input! Comments can be submitted via email to dbrenneman@woolwich.ca or in writing to David Brenneman, Chief Administrative Officer, 69 Arthur Street South, Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z6. Deadline for submission of comments is Friday, February 29, 2008.

TRAVEL

s s s s

4AX SUPPORTED OPERATING BUDGET 7ATER OPERATING BUDGET 7ASTEWATER OPERATING BUDGET AND #APITAL BUDGET

at its regular meeting on February 5, 2008 commencing at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, Municipal Office, 69 Arthur Street South, Elmira. Richard Petherick, CMA Director of Finance & Treasurer

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observerxtra.com Tim Schott remy Vervoort, am Beattie, Je s ah Gr on n, Ly a iso ar ch Ci , At aher, Spencer Marisa Hartwick Price, Bryan M n, Megan Lee, wi ld Ba ia Le , Back Row: Evan iley Hartwick , Varadero, Cuba Front Row: Ha Riu Las Morlas

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» WORD-UP | 1

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1. Atlanta-based station 4. Tickler of the ivories 11. Goes on 16. High school class, for short 17. 1996 Summer Olympic site 18. City named for an Indian tribe 19. Insects of the Reduviidae family 21. Set, as a price 22. Computer architecture: reduced instruction set computing (Accro) 23. Actor Arnold 24. Awful smell 25. Used in mining and warheads 31. Penguin suits 34. “Give it ___!” 35. Baseball bat wood 36. “To ___ is human ...” 37. Baseball stat 38. The grayish outer part of a sunspot 41. Made more firm 44. ___ Dee River 45. Poet Angelou 46. Bit of color 48. Boris Godunov, for one 52. 1969 Peace Prize grp. 55. Egg yolk, vinegar, oil and lemon juice 58. Chump 62. “So ___ me!” 63. Grassland 64. Anger 65. Order between “ready” and “fire” 66. Byway 68. Co-owners with no public voice in company affairs 72. Agenda 73. Fold, spindle or mutilate 74. Arrangement holder 78. Cathedral topper 79. Dietary supplement 83. “A Lesson From ___” 84. Film material 85. Affairs 86. Inclines 87. Another shot 88. “Comprende?”

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1. Alpine transport 2. Not yet final, at law 3. Chuck 4. ___ de deux 5. “___ alive!” 6. “Aladdin” prince 7. 1598 edict city 8. Return requirement 9. Buffalo 10. What “it” plays 11. Wanting company

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Cover the mouthpiece, not ear when using phone in a crowd »» Q. Would you rather have 1 x 2 x 3x4x5x6x7x 8x 9 dollars, or 9 x 8x7x6x5x4x3 x 2 x 1 dollars?

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» STRANGE BUT TRUE | BILL & RICH SONES

Created Exclusively for The Observer. ©2007

82

12. Cremona artisan 13. Russian urn 14. ____ of Avila 15. Blue 20. Advil target 24. Glasses on a cold day 26. Bad day for Caesar 27. Blood’s partner 28. Coward’s lack 29. PC linkup 30. “___ Cried” (1962 hit) 31. Course 32. Used as fertilizer, animal feed & plastics 33. Inside shot? 38. Kind of code 39. Irascible 40. ___ carotene 42. Attack, with “into” 43. Debut of March 3, 1923 47. Any variety of eosinlike dies 49. Fodder holder 50. Fishing, perhaps 51. Go through 53. Ground beef quality 54. Drops 56. Art subject 57. At no time, poetically 58. “___ boom bah!” 59. Undermine 60. Troublemaker 61. Babysitter’s handful 66. A wide valley 67. Common request 69. Dog-___ 70. Oblong vestment 71. Hotel posting 75. Boosts 76. ___ gin fizz 77. “... or ___!” 78. Cal. col. 79. Alt. spelling 80. ___ jacket 81. “Am ___ believe ...?” 82. After expenses

SOLUTION FROM LAST WEEK A L O U D L E F T Y L I F E B E B E M U K L U K B R E A K A N T I A O T T W D E N Y O R A R E H R S L O P I N M I M E O G A R E A Y O D M A I N A N I L A N Y C

C O S T U O P O S S H U L T D S I R M O R P A U N T D S S V E T L E H O R Y O U B A G M A T H R A P H U S E T S K M A T E G E R Y D O W N

M E U M G S H I K E R O F A N

T A B A O O L O M P I P T R B E W E E A M R U P E T T T I C U R E F E P O

S L A N G

P I N E Y

T A I M E P E N E E L E R E E R D E

A. The question may seem ridiculous since both products are obviously the same. Yet when psychologists showed the first series to test subjects, they guessed an average of 500; for the reverse, 4,200. Both woefully underestimated the real answer of 362,880, say Tom Stafford and Matt Webb in Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain. Why the difference? Psychologists say we tend to “anchor” on the first number of a series. So when the first number is a small 1, the guesses are smaller; the initial 9 prompts larger estimates. The “anchoring gambit” also explains why donation solicitors will suggest you give $50, $20, $10, or $5, rather than $5, $10, $20, or $50. And it probably underlies the common practice of pricing things at $9.99, for example; although this price is only 1 cent below $10, it feels closer to $9 because that’s the anchor triggered by the price tag. Irrelevant anchoring is just one of numbers’ many slipperinesses and “helps explain why people so often try to con us with them.”

»» Q. “What in the thunder was that?” she marvels, not remembering ever hearing thunder in a snowstorm before. A. Thundersnow, though rare, can happen with sufficient instability and electrical buildup in the storm, bringing on flashes of lightning, says Randy Cerveny in Freaks of the Storm. Often this will portend as much as 10 inches of the white stuff, report University of Missouri atmospheric scientists, who analyzed 30 years of data from the U.S. Midwest. Wind and hail are often part of the mix. Another weather oddity is St. Elmo’s fire, a small static-electricity discharge that can occur with storms, Cerveny adds. A 19th-century British surgeon once commented that during a snowshower his horse’s ears became luminous and the brim of his hat appeared on fire. Minute sparks darted toward the horse’s ears and “the margin of my hat looked beautiful, and I was sorry to be so soon deprived of it.” More recently, Arizona meteorologists observed an odd electrical discharge during a rare snowstorm in Tucson. From atop an 80-foot tower, they could see short flashes of light originating at or near the ground all across the city. “These were less flickering and intense than normal bolts. There was neither thunder nor radio static. One of the meteorologists speculated that the unusually large wet snowflakes were able to pull electric charges down from the clouds in the fashion raindrops usually do.”

»» Q. What’s the trick to cutting out background noise while on your cell phone in a loud and crowded place? No, sticking a »» Q. Ticklish question #1: Why is it virtually impossible to tickle yourself? And #2: Is tickfinger in your other ear won’t do it. A. Surprisingly, the way to hear better is to ling ever a torture? cover the mouthpiece. Though you’ll hear just as much noise around you, you’ll be able to hear the caller better, say Sandra Aamodt, PhD, and Sam Wang, PhD, in Welcome to Your Brain. The human brain, it turns out, is a marvel at picking out the voice you want to hear from a host of others -- the “cocktail party effect.” But the phone (cell or not) makes this harder by feeding sounds from the room you’re in through the circuitry and mixing them with the signal coming from the other phone. So now you’ve got the voice plus distorted room noise coming into one ear plus the room noise coming into the other. This is worse than hearing at a cocktail party because both the caller’s transmitted voice and the room noise are tinny and mixed together. Covering the mouthpiece can stop the mixing muddle and recreate the live cocktail party situation. “Try it. It works!”

A. For you to become “ticklee,” there needs to be a “tickler,” a “safe” person and not a stranger, say Tom Stafford and Matt Webb in Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain. The problem with your self-tickling is that your brain makes an “efference copy” of any motor command, like a carbon copy, so you know it’s your movement. That’s a “no go” for tickling. So here’s the trick: You set up a robotic system where the robot responds and tickles you in one of your ticklish zones. But you’ll need to build in a time delay that fools your brain into thinking the tickle was externally generated! “This just might do it,” say the authors. Yet while the pleasure of tickling is well known, the act can generate pain as well, with the ticklee simultaneously laughing hysterically and writhing in agony. “Indeed, in Roman times, continuous tickling of the feet was used as a method of torture.”

» BY THE NUMBERS | SUDOKU EASY

MEDIUM

7 8 3 5 9

8

5 9 6 7

3

9 6 5 3 6 5 9 5 2 8 2 4 6 8 3 8 2 6 5 9 6

1 4 9 7

8 5 5 2 6 9 8 9 2 5

6 7 1 5

2 3 9 5 7 2

7 6

2

HARD

4 5 2 6 9 2 3 1 5 9 9 1 2 3 4 7 1 6 8 7 1 5 3 6 9 4

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started. REMEMBER: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box. Find the answers to this week’s puzzles on page 23. ©2007 Cathedral Communications Inc.

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CLASSIFIEDS | 23

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

SERVICE PROS ACCOUNTING

Telephone....................519.669.5790 Toll Free .......................1.888.966.5942 Fax...............................519.669.5753 Email............................sales@observerxtra.com

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INCOME TAX FOR INDIVIDUALS, SOLE PROPRIETORS & PARTNERSHIPS ETC.

DENISE WITMER

20A Arthur St. N. Unit #1, P.O. Box 51

519-669-0003

Elmira, Ontario N3B 2Z5

AUTOMOTIVE

ALESH P I M O T O R S

QUALITY SERVICE & REPAIRS OF MOST CARS, VANS, PICK-UP & SUVS

Âť Safety Inspections Âť Annual Truck Inspections Âť Auto Appraisals Âť 4x4 & SUV Service & Repairs

39 ARTHUR ST. N., ELMIRA

519-669-1666

“YOUR ONE STOP SHOP SERVICE CENTRE�

CONSTRUCTION

CRANE

RR#1 Elmira

fax: 519-846-9319

DYNAMIC BALANCING

Automotive

Auto, Light Trucks & Small Engines

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OPEN

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HEADQUARTERS Have your skates sharpened with us four times, and the fifth one’s FREE!

$2 From every skate sharpening will be donated to fit for life - Woolwich Recreational Facilities Foundation.

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ROB McNALL

519-669-7607

22 Church St. W., Elmira

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LONG DISTANCE? CALL 1-866-669-7607

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57 Arthur St. S., Elmira

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For Home and Office Â&#x2122; CVgeZi Je]dahtZgn 8aeVc^c\ dc LdXVi^dc Â&#x2122; PZi YZdYdg^oVi^dc Â&#x2122; ?Vc^tdg^Va Â&#x2122; ;addg Hig^ee^c\ Â&#x2122; 7aeaX]ZY dji CVgeZi Hedi RZeV^g Â&#x2122; <rdji 8aeaning Â&#x2122; 6reV Rj\ 8aeVc^c\ 9rde"d[[ VcY E^X` je HZgk^XZ Â&#x2122; CVgeZi RZeV^g RZ">chiVaaVi^dc

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EASY 4 1 6 3 2 9 5 8 7

7 8 5 1 4 6 2 3 9

2 3 9 7 8 5 4 1 6

1 5 4 9 3 2 6 7 8

8 9 2 4 6 7 1 5 3

3 6 7 8 5 1 9 4 2

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Now try to turn the page. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what happens with ads in the Observer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they get noticed.

HARD

MEDIUM 9 2 8 5 7 4 3 6 1

6 4 3 2 1 8 7 9 5

6 4 7 2 3 8 1 5 9

1 9 2 5 4 6 3 8 7

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Play crossword and sudoku puzzles online www.observerxtra.com

24 | CLASSIFIEDS

SERVICE PROS PLUMBING

renovations

YOUR

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BRUBACHER LTD. 19 First St. E., Elmira

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°

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°

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SIGNS | SCREEN PRINTING

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Superior Salt Products

Softener Salt & Ice Melts

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M O T O R S

WE WANT YOUR SCRAP VEHICLE!

Tug it, Tow it or Tell us where it is... We want your scrap car, van or truck. (free tow)

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519.669.9160

Cell: 519.998.4094

24 HOUR MONITORING

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BRIAN STRAUSS bstrauss_valuguard@sympatico.ca

HEARING ASSISTED

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

NURSERY PROVIDED

SUNDAY SCHOOL

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A family of caring believers...â&#x20AC;? building relationships with God, one another and the world

Sunday, January 27, 2008 9:15 & 11:00am

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Trinity United Church ELMIRA

Sunday School During Worship

Minister: Rev. Dave Jagger Sunday Worship: 10:55am

Visit our new website on: www.wondercafe.ca %$ 4eg[he Fg! Abeg[ Â&#x2014; 6[heV[ BYĂ?VX ($, )), (()# Ă&#x201E;Bhe `\ff\ba \f gb _biX _XTea TaW _\iX Ul 6[e\fgĂ&#x2021;f gXTV[\aZfĂ&#x2026;

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A different way of doing churchâ&#x20AC;? SUNDAY January 27, 2008

SUNDAYS, 8:30 & 11:00AM WEDNESDAYS, 7:00PM (with Childrensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Programs) IMPACT YOUTH: Fridays, 7:30pm TWENTY20: Sundays, 7:00pm (2nd & 4th Sundays monthly)

Pastors Steve & Beth Fleming

850 Sawmill Rd, Bloomingdale 744-7447 www.kcf.org

JOIN US

SUNDAYS AT

10:30AM & 6:30PM %,# 4eg[he Fg! Fbhg[ 8_`\eT Â&#x2014; 519-669-3973

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Balancing Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Demands In our new series:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Balancing Your Personal Lifeâ&#x20AC;? REFRESHMENTS AT 10:00AM â&#x20AC;&#x201D; SERVICE STARTS AT 10:30AM

( 9\efg Fg! 8_`\eT Â&#x2014; 519-669-1459 Services at

John Mahood

www.elmiracommunity.org Public School

B����������� M�������� C����� Pastor: Mary Mae Schwartzentruber Sundays - 9:45 am Family Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday School for all ages

$$($ FalWXeĂ&#x2021;f 9_Tg EW! 5_bb`\aZWT_X Â&#x2014; 519-745-2411 www.bloomingdalemennonite.com

THE REAL DEAL

Sunday Worship 10:45 am Sept 9 - June 29

519-669-5030 Welcome to

CALVARY UNITED St. Jacobs

Upbeat Family Worship & Sunday School 10:00 am

J[XX_V[T\e TVVXff\U_X Â&#x2014; AhefXel 6TeX cebi\WXW Â&#x2014; ;XTe\aZ 4ff\fgXW

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Advertise the week-to-week goings-on in this communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best read paper! Call Marcia 519-669-5790 Xkg! $#)

IN PRINT. ONLINE. 519.669.5790 | 519.669.5790 1.888.966.5942 || 1.888.966.5942 www.woolwichobserver.com | www.woolwichobserver.co IN DEPTH.

CLASSIFIEDS | 25

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

HOME HUNTING

ELMIRA REAL ESTATE Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage SERVICES

BONNIE BRUBACHER Broker of Record

Bď?ľď?šď?Šď?Žď?§ OR Sď?Ľď?Źď?Źď?Šď?Žď?§ď&#x153;ż

SHANNA ROZEMA Broker.

DARREN ROMKEY Sales Rep.

LAURIE LANGDON Sales Rep.

DALE KELLER Sales Rep.

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD. 45 ARTHUR ST. S., ELMIRA

519-669-3192

90 Earl Martin Dr., Unit 1, Elmira N3B 3L4

MONIQUE BRUBACHER Sales Rep.

DEBBIE YEOMAN Sales Rep.

THIS WEEKS FEATURE PROPERTIES

519-669-2772

BROKERAGE

BRAD MARTIN Broker of Record MVA Residential

Res: 519-669-1068

JULIE HECKENDORN Broker Res: 519-669-8629

ALLI NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-577-6248

BILL NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-588-1348

OPEN HOUSE SAT, 12-2

40 ANDREWS DRIVE, DRAYTON

$159,900, Great starter, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, walkout to deck & fenced yard, professionally finished basement, attached garage with rear yard access. NEW MLS

OPEN HOUSE SAT, 2-4

63 EDWARD STREET, DRAYTON

$259,000, Just listed! Move right in to this 1,800 sq. ft. backsplit with a huge back yard that features very tasteful decor, most new windows, a new roof, a new driveway, main floor laundry, deck and a 10' by 20' shed. All appliances included! Wow!

Further Information: WEBSITE: www.royallepage.ca EMAIL: Elmira@royallepage.ca

YOU'LL BE IMPRESSED! - Open concept 4 level backsplit backs to greenspace. Huge family room w/gas F.P. & walkout. 4th bdrm. (or games rm. in lower leve). Large kit. w/vaulted ceiling. Hardwood in L.R. 2 baths. Cac. A must see. MLS $294,900

LOCATION! - Large lot w/mature trees on a quiet street. Carpet-free main floor. Spacious L.R/D.R Eat-in kitchen. Lower level w/rec. room w/fireplace, den, 2 bedrooms & 3 pc. bath. Double garage & drive. Central air. A great family home. NEW MLS $319,900.

WELL MAINTAINED - 4 bdrm. brick home, close to schools & downtown. Hardwood floors. Huge kitchen. Main flr. laundry, den & 3pc. bath. Replacement doors & windows. Gas furnace. Central air. Detached dble. garage. MLS $269,000

LOTS OF HOUSE! - 4 bdrm. home, close to a park, schools & downtown. 3 bathrooms. Eat-in kitchen & D.R. Fireplace in L.R. and rec. room. Sunroom off kitchen & L.R. Double garage and long driveway. New furnace in 2007. NEW MLS $314,900.

GREAT HOME TO RETIRE IN Everything on the main floor! Great room, dining area & master bdrm. (w/ ensuite bath) overlook the back yard. open concept. Covered deck. Main floor laundry. Oversized garage. Large windows in bsmt. MLS $297,900.

BUNGALOW - Lovely maple kitchen with ceramic floor. Laminate flrs. Spacious D.A. w/walkout to covered patio. Main flr laundry. Rec room, 3 pc. bath, games rm. bdrm & office in lower level. Deck & above-ground pool. Fenced yard. Garage MLS $302,500.

OPEN HOUSE SUN JANUARY 27TH 2 - 4 1042 CHURCH ST. ST CLEMENTS $296,500 - NEW LISTING and it shows off a beautiful new spacious custom kitchen. 3 bedrooms, fireplace & recent renovations include, vinyl siding and front bay window. Many windows and much flooring has been updated. The lot is 74.25â&#x20AC;&#x2122; x 190â&#x20AC;&#x2122; with many mature shade trees. This home has been well cared for and maintained. On a quiet street.MLS to discuss your real estate goals, pla eam Realty ns and yle at T dream a G ll s! Ca

TONY ALBERTO Phone:

519-744-7133

RAISED BUNGALOW - 2+1 bdrms, 2 baths, new roof shingles 2006, some newer windows, good sized fenced yard & deck. Central air & vac., 2 fireplaces, large bright finished rec. room.

Gayle Draper, Sales Representative

Personalized Service â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Confidential - Results Tel: (519) 500-6004 Email: gdraperteam@rogers.com

$234,900

VICTORIAN HOME FOR SALE - ELMIRA $239,000 Built in 1907 (100 years old) Beautiful Double Brick home, features 4 bedrooms & 2 baths. Stunning oak trim woodwork, oak pocket doors, and solid oak spiral staircase. Also 5 stain glass windows, new E SAL furnace, new windows, new roof, ATE V I PR new driveway, new double porch. Large lot (66x132) Two blocks from downtown. Close to schools & shopping. Park like, fully fenced yard. Call for an appointment 519-591-3428.

SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Coach House Realty Inc. Brokerage

OFFICE PHONE: 519-343-2124

159 William St., Palmerston (Across from Home Hardware)

SALES REPRESENTATIVES:

Edith McArthur * 519-638-2509 Marg Sorensen * 519-343-4489 Kathy Robinson * 519-343-4816

WOW! PIE SHAPED LOT ALMOST 3/4 ACRES. Backsplit home, spacious rooms,

$289,900

/0%. (/53% s 3!4 *!. PM 61 Edward St., Drayton

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, newer laminate in livingroom, diningroom & foyer, central air & vac, appliances included, large familyroom, new roof/07, paved drive. Let Edith McArthur 519-638-2509 show you this exceptional, well kept home. MLS 0811706.

FAMILY ALBUM birthday

birthday

Happy 80 birthday mother, Grandmother, Great GrandMother. th

lordy lordy our little goober is 40

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to the right place to find a home.

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t. 519.669.5790 1-888-966-5942 f. 519.669-5753 sales@observerxtra.com

retirement

There are some who start their retirement long before they stop working.

retirement EICHER, Helen

PRIESTLY, William â&#x20AC;&#x153;Billâ&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mrs. Helen Eicher, age 89, of RR1 Stratford passed away peacefully at Stratford General Hospital on Saturday, January 19, 2008. Local relative is her sister Ruby Lingelbach of Wellesley.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Peacefully at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, on Monday, January 22, 20087 Bill of Wellesley in his 96th year.

519.6 9.5790 | 1.8 8.96 .5942 | w FAMILY ALBUM

Love your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren

Wags & Wiggles Pepper & Rylie

Join Neil for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Barley Sandwichâ&#x20AC;? at Elmira Legion Lounge Friday February 1st 4 - 8pm. Best wishes only please.

t a h t e n o e m Tell so ou care y

for as little as

$

15

call 519.669.5790 ext 106 to order

26 | CLASSIFIEDS

EVENTS CALENDAR “A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIME”

Kleensweep Carpet Care

Constructive

Ideas.

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»» Jubilation Male Chorus – Waterloo North Presbyterian Church. A chorus of over 50 performing their repertoire of contemporary, traditional, southern gospel and spiritual arrangements of sacred music; 7 p.m., free-will offering, wheelchair accessible; 685 Highpoint Ave., Waterloo. Call Nancy Ostermann, 519-884-7058. FEBRUARY 5

»» Shrove Tuesday pancake and sausage dinner – Gale Presbyterian Church; 5-7 p.m. All proceeds are going to youth (Kindergarten to Grade 8) counselling programs for Woolwich Counselling Centre; $8 per person, tickets available at the church at 519669-2852 or from WICC. FEBRUARY 7

»» Cholesterol Solution – Woolwich Community Health Centre. Find easy ways to improve your cholesterol level. 10 Parkside Dr., St. Jacobs. Call 519-664-3794 to register. FEBRUARY 8

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»» H.U.G.S. Program – Woolwich Community Health Centre. Topic: infant massage; 9:15-11:15 a.m. for parents and their children (zero to five years); 10 Parkside Dr., St. Jacobs, 519-664-3794. FEBRUARY 9

»» Country ‘n’ Rock Dance - Woolwich Community Lions Club. Live band: Moonshine. Tickets $15 per person, cold buffet. All proceeds to the Woolwich Memorial Centre and community betterment. Doors open at 8 p.m. (no reserved tables); dance 9 p.m. For tickets, Pampered & Polished Spa, Brown’s Menswear or call Denise at 519-669-0003.

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»» Understanding and coping with menopause – Woolwich Community Health Centre. Medical aspects of menopause with Dr. Hansa Gupta, family physician. Nutrition and naturopathic alternatives to help you cope; 10 Parkside Dr., St. Jacobs; 7-8:30 p.m. Call 519-664-3794 to register. FEBRUARY 16

»» Elimination Draw and Valentine’s Dance – St. Clements Recreational Services Board. Featuring the Jeff Tanner Band, St. Clements Community Centre. Tickets $25 each, includes admission, midnight lunch, live entertainment, chance of winning numerous cash prizes; 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. For tickets, call Trevor 519-669-5792 or email: stc_rec@yahoo.ca.

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FEBRUARY 17

BE PREPARED THIS WINTER

»» Chili Supper – Waterloo North Presbyterian Church; 685 Highpoint Ave., Waterloo at 5 p.m. Adults $10, deadline for advance tickets only is Feb. 10. For tickets, phone Nancy at 519-884-7058. FEBRUARY 18

»» Rangers Autograph Session – Anglican churches in Waterloo Region. Support the Anglican housebuild with Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region by purchasing an autograph from one or more of your favourite Kitchener Rangers hockey players, 5-7 p.m. at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. All proceeds from this event support the cost of the building a home for a Habitat partner family. Ann Gibbons, 519-575-4404, ext. 3128 or email: spallgibbons@rogers.com. FEBRUARY 23

RETAIL STORE STORE RETAIL

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»» The Johnson Quartet – Waterloo North Presbyterian Church. The quartet is from Ohsweken, Ontario and travels throughout Canada and the U.S., sharing their faith through music; 3-7 p.m. 685 Highpoint Ave., Waterloo. Free-will offering, wheelchair accessible. Nancy, 519-884-7058.

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»» Understanding and coping with menopause – Woolwich Community Health Centre. Medical aspects of menopause with Dr. Hansa Gupta, Family Physician. Nutrition and naturopathic alternatives to help you cope. 10 Parkside Dr., St. Jacobs; 7-8:30 p.m. Call 519-664-3794 to register.

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

»» Roast beef dinner – Trinity United Church. Family (two adults & children under 16 years) $35; adults (16 years and over) $12; children (five to 15 years) $6; children under five years, free. Continuous seating from 5 to 7 p.m.; 27 Arthur St., Elmira. For more information and where to get advanced tickets, call 519-669-5560. Elevator is available to those requiring assistance. Takeouts are available on advance notice. MARCH 16

»» Two-hour hike on Kissing Bridge Trailway/TCT in Elmira – Woolwich Trail Group. Enjoy the stone dust trail from Elmira east to the Grand River. Trail rating: level trail surface but may be slippery at this time of year. Meet in Elmira at the Observer parking lot, 20 Arthur St. N. Call Paul Miller at 519-664-3463 to confirm meeting times and locations. Submit calendar listings to info@observerxtra.com

519-669-2884

21 INDUSTRIAL DR., ELMIRA

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A Fine Wine Establishment 29 Church St. W., Elmira

519.669.0799

Region home to a number of reading and writing programs set to celebrate Family Literacy Day VANESSA MOSS

Susana Bergen used to have a lot of fears. She was afraid to talk to neighbours, pay her bills and even answer the phone. But now, all that has changed, because she has learned to read, write and speak English. “That [the phone] bothers me no more,” she said with a laugh. Sitting at her kitchen table in Elmira, Bergen explained that she is one of many Mexican Mennonites in the area who came to Canada with limited English skills. For her, learning the language was a priority, but for others, it is far from it. “They believe it’s a bad thing,” she said. “I told people, ‘we have to know it. We have to learn this language. If we live here, we have to learn it and we have to know what it means. When they [English-speaking people] come to us [and] they ask us [questions], we have to know what kind of answer to give them.” Since starting her English classes with the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region (LGWR) in 2003, Bergen’s skills have steadily improved and she has tried to encourage others to join her, with limited success. “They say, ‘No, we are too old,’” explained Bergen’s husband Heinrich. “We are saying to them, ‘No, you are not too old: everybody can learn.” That message is what both the Bergens and various literacy groups in Ontario are stressing this week as the 10th annual Family Literacy Day takes place tomorrow (Sunday). They know the potential students are out there, it is just a matter of finding them, said LGWR’s rural program coordinator Karen Morgan-Bowyer. In Waterloo Region, 57 per cent of residents “do not have the literacy skills to survive and keep a decent paying job,” according to the 2004 international Adult Literacy and Life Skills survey. The Canadian average Wonderful Wines was 48. Back then the numbers were staggering and should have instigated a strong response from the public but didn’t, said Jane Tuer, executive program director for the Project READ Literacy Network of Waterloo-Wellington. “It was a big shock because we were at such low levels, but I don’t know if it sunk in.” See LITERACY »27

CLASSIFIEDS | 27

The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

Literacy: Reading skills open another world to newcomers a woman in Linwood Morgan-Bowyer said read aloud to the class that levels actually or the moment when haven’t changed much a man was finally able since the 1980s, when the to do his own grocery illiteracy problem was shopping. first identified in Wa“Just seeing that terloo Region and vari- there’s progress is amazous groups like Project ing, knowing that that’s READ were created. going to change [their] Currently, Morgan- lives.” Bowyer oversees about 20 She also enjoys hearone-on-one students and ing about how helping helps out with groups in an adult has, in turn, afLinwood and Elmira. fected their children. There are also school Both she and Tuer sessions available in St. agreed that the key to Jacobs – Susana attends breaking the cycle of those – that provide illiteracy is to encourchildcare, transporta- age the whole family to tion and food for their read. pupils. “If a parent can’t read, These conveniences the chances are that have helped increase at- the child is going to tendance a bit because struggle with reading. often it is the logistics If we can make Family of meeting with a tutor Literacy Day and family that discourage people literacy more and more from seeking literacy important and known help in rural areas, Mor- out there, it may be that gan-Bowyer said. people get the whole They think they do point that it’s not just not have the time or children that need supthe means to do so and port in reading,” Tuer SMALL STEPS, BIG REWARDS Susana Bergen shows off just a few of the many books she has been able would rather just avoid said. to read thanks to the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region. After coming to Canada from Mexico in 1991, seeking help. At Elmira District Sec- Bergen quickly realized the importance of learning to read, write and speak English, and she has since tried But, as Susana noted, ondary School, princi- to encourage others like her to do the same. it is worth it. pal Gary Ayre, has noMorgan-Bowyer said ticed an improvement “They all did extremeThe school has a 94- and Work (Mennonite) her students’ small ac- in literacy over the per-cent literacy pass students, who wrote ly well on it.” complishments are the years in both the main- rate – one of the highest the Ontario Secondary Some students that do most satisfying to wit- stream and 12:27 Mennonite School Literacy Test for struggle with literacy 1-2WOB_CITS_Arrows:Layout 1 1/17/08 PM Pagein1Ontario – and that inness. Like the first time programs. however, are those in cludes the Elmira Living the first time last year.

Arrows Desire TOMMY DOUGLAS:

THE

PHOTO | VANESSA MOSS

» From page 26

the Old Colony Mennonite program, but since that stream’s main focus is English literacy, the group might be able to write the test sometime in the future, Ayre said, adding that the program has grown from seven to 20 enrollments in the last year. “They’re coming from a Mexican background, so maybe that’s why the parents are sending more and more of their kids here because they recognize they have to pick up the literacy.” And maybe, if the children learn to read, they can teach their parents. That was the case with Susana and she hasn’t stopped educating herself since. Currently she is working on her greatest challenge: reading the bible. “I love to learn,” she said. “I feel good. I feel happy.” Project READ and its partners are hosting Family Literacy Day at the Conestoga Mall Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. The event features a boggle tournament, recordbreaking read-in, live entertainment and children’s activities.

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The Observer | Saturday, January 26, 2008

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