The Creemore
Echo
Friday, January 21, 2011 Vol. 11 No. 3
News and views in and around Creemore
BANK MACHINE WOES by Brad Holden When Creemore resident Steve Morby stopped into the Creemore TD Canada Trust branch to make a bank machine withdrawal on his way to curling in Stayner on the evening of Thursday January 13, everything went according to plan until he pulled his bank card out of the machine. “The whole mechanism kind of came off,” he said, “and I saw a bunch of duct tape and some kind of card reader.” Morby immediately called TD head office and alerted them, and then headed up to Stayner. Once there, he decided he should call the police as well. Once Huronia West OPP had responded and checked out the
bank machine, however, whatever mechanism had been installed there had been removed. Huronia West OPP Constable Mark Kinney, who conducts seminars about debit and credit card fraud, told the Echo there is any number of “skimming devices” that could have been attached to the machine – sometimes there is just an extra reader installed that will copy the card’s magnetic stripe, and sometimes there is also a fake touchpad installed over the legitimate one to store password information. In inquiring at the bank about the situation, the Echo was referred to head office spokesperson Tashlin (See “Strange” on page 11)
SAVE THIS CHURCH 138-year-old Avening United appeals for help
by Brad Holden When Marla Kozak moved to the Mansfield area six years ago, she started visiting local churches in hopes of finding a community of faith for her family. She sat in on a few different services but always felt like a stranger, until one day she noticed a little blue sign on Airport Road as she drove north through Avening. She followed the arrow, and quickly found the Avening United Church, nestled in the centre of the village as it has been for the past 138 years. And
when she attended her first service, she was warmly welcomed by the small congregation, immediately given a tour of the church and made to feel at home. Now, six years later, Kozak is one of a handful of members struggling to find a way to keep the church from having to close its doors forever. “I wanted to find a place where, if I joined, the people would remember me from week to week,” said Kozak on Tuesday, while sitting at Marg (See “Church” on page 3)
Inside the Echo
PARADE HONOUR Those of you who saw Ken Thornton proudly riding his “horse” in the 2010 Santa Claus Parade will not be surprised to see event co-organizer Marie Blohm presenting him with this trophy for his efforts. The trophy is inscribed “A Steed Worthy of a Knight in Shining Armour.” Way to go, Ken! Is there anything you can’t do?
Fun on Snow
Installation of Officers
Nitetis Lodge has new leadership.
Snowarama for Easter Seals.
PAGE 6
PAGE 3
Publications Mail Agreement # 40024973
Serving Mulmur & The Creemore Hills for 34 years
RCR Realty. Brokerage
The Town & Country Agent with the City Connections
Ginny MacEachern
(705)
444-1414
E-mail info@collingwood.toyota.ca
10230 Highway 26 East, Collingwood
Broker
B.A.
1-800-360-5821• 705-466-2607 • gmmulmur@bconnex.net Visit My Website: www.ginnymaceachern.com