Thursday, December 13, 2012 Photographers, makeup artists, and hair stylists unite to give keepsake portraits to less-fortunate families.
Page A16 • LOCAL NEWS, SPORTS, WEATHER AND ENTERTAINMENT • mrtimes.com • 604-463-2281 • 40 PAGES Sunshine Foundation
Disney dreams realized
TIMES reporter Maria Rantanen joined four local children on a dreamlift to Disneyland. by Maria Rantanen
mrantanen@mrtimes.com
Seventy-seven children, including several from Maple Ridge, were given the gift of a summer’s day on Tuesday as they took part in a one-day DreamLift trip to Disneyland courtesy of the Sunshine Foundation. From the 4:30 a.m. start to being welcomed back by parents at midnight, the day was filled with adventure for the children, who all have serious medical issues. Among the group were Maple Ridge kids Colin Huppee, 12, Cameron Campbell, 13, Matthew Norris, 12, and Casey Wright, 12.
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Maria Rantanen/TIMES
Maple Ridge’s Cameron Campbell, 13, fought off Darth Maul with a light saber after some training with a Jedi (inset). All this during a one-day Dreamlift trip to Disneyland Tuesday.
City bylaws
Shark maiming reduces councillor to tears Six members from an animal defence group attended a Pitt Meadows council meeting. by Sylver McLaren smclaren@mrtimes.com
Anthony Marr Vancouver Animal Defense League
A Pitt Meadows councillor was moved to tears over the plight of sharks during Tuesday night’s council-in-committee meeting. Councillor Janis Elkerton broke down in sobs after the Vancouver Animal Defense League made an appeal to the City of Pitt Meadows
to ban shark fins and used recently released data to prove his point. “I see shark finning tantamount to trophy hunting. It is incredible the way the fish suffer when they are dropped back in [the water], the emotional councillor said. “I understand Coun. Elkerton’s passion and I, too, have seen the horrific videos,” said Mayor Deb Walters. “I’m very much in support of the motion being put forward... We stand behind you and your research,” she elaborated, just before a unanimous council declared their intent to ban shark
fins in Pitt Meadows. Anthony Marr, spokesperson for the league, told council how his group randomly purchased shark fin samples from Vancouver and Richmond, and submitted them to the University of Guelph. The results from DNA analysis showed that, of 59 viable samples tested, 86 per cent were from endangered and threatened species of shark, including the critically endangered great hammerhead. “This is in direct violation of the Canadian law which specifically forbids any endangered species trade within the country,” Marr said.
“So far, each and every one of the municipalities to which we have made presentations since June have given the green light, except the main prize Richmond,” he explained. Richmond is “hemming and hawing” because of restaurant owners and politicians who benefit, Marr claimed. “I’m a Chinese person myself, so I have no problem saying that,” he added. “Some Chinese people are claiming to protect the Chinese culture. Their actions are shameful,” the environmental activist said.
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Find out about the Firefighters for Families fundraiser and the CP Holiday Train on page A3 Online, all the time...
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