He will be entering Grade 8 at Ecole Notre Dame de l'Esperance in the fall of 2006 and, like many boys his age, he is still not sure which high school he will be attending. His grade average is in the mid to upper 80's and his attitude towards school is very positive. His teachers refer to Ryan as one of their classroom leaders, always willing to lend a helping hand and always willing to take on new challenges. Ryan also loves public speaking and is getting along quite will on the computer. He enjoys fishing with his family in the summer and loves swimming. Ryan is also a "hockey nut" and knows just about everything there is to know about the sport. He is also eager to talk to anyone about the players and the game in general.

To look at Ryan in the photo above, he looks like any normal teen age boy. 

Ryan, however, has cerebral palsy, a crippling disease which causes damage to the spinal cord during prenatal developmental stages. It has left him physically disabled - unable to walk and do many of the normal things we take for granted. His wheelchair is more clearly evident in the photo below, but the boy in the picture is the same young boy you first saw in the photo above.

Ryan was chosen to be one of the two Provincial Ambassadors for the Easter Seal Society. He and his partner, Kaitlyn Lenchak of Aurora, were introduced at the prestigious Con Smythe Fundraising Dinner & Auction on February 9, 2006 in Toronto. He and Kaitlyn are shown in the group photo with many of the stars and celebrities in attendance at the event which raised over $400,000 for Easter Seals.

As official Ambassadors of the Easter Seal Society for the 2006 calendar year, both Ryan and Kaitlyn feel very honoured, but at the same time, they also realize the tremendous responsibility they have in representing the organization at various public functions during the year. Most of the functions are fund-raising in nature, designed to raise a lot of money which will be used to improve the quality of life for many others who are physically challenged.

Here we see Ryan and Kaitlyn with his favourite hockey coach (next to his father), the Sudbury Wolve's Mike Foligno.

Ryan's parents, standing directly behind him, Mike and Joyce Benoit, are extremely proud of the way their son has handled the responsibility of being a Provincial Ambassador. In this photo they are with Mr. Don Ferguson on the left, and Mr. Roger Abbott on the right, both members of the Canadian Airfarce.

John Ferguson and Ross Rebagliati stop by to chat with Kaitlyn and Ryan during the Con Smythe Dinner and Auction.

Ryan is well aware of up coming hockey stars, so he was very excited when he met with John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals, who many are calling the next Wayne Gretzky.

It is precisely because of Ryan's natural abilities and giftedness that he has become a perfect choice as Provincial Ambassador for the Easter Seal Society. He is very sociable and enjoys meeting people. Ryan never lets his physical impairments prevent him from doing just about anything that other children do, he just has to "work harder" at some things than others. And he realizes this, so it never gets him down. Ryan, however, also realizes that there are some things, such as public speaking, talking to people, going out in public and making speeches in front of stars and celebrities and simply being able to take on the challenges of being a leader, that he does with ease. These are things that many others, especially his age, have a great deal of difficulty with.

And so, as Ryan continues to fulfil his responsibilities until February 2007 when another two young people will take over, he plans on using his "abilities" to make a difference for the Easter Seals Society and all of the people they serve. He plans on continuing in his role as a ' Public Ambassador' for the Easter Seals Society for the rest of his life. He is a role model and an inspiration, not only to people with physical impairments, but also to the perfectly healthy individuals who, once they meet Ryan,  will realize how important it is to focus on your abilities and talents rather than on your inabilities and struggles.

Fern Gascon, on the right, took time to rest on Saturday in preparation for the horseshoe tournament which was scheduled for Sunday afternoon. Fern is another member who has been active in the organization of the Annual Summer Fair which is undoubtedly the biggest event of the year in Valley East.

 
GLASS TIGER, the popular Canadian Group shown above, was the headline group on Friday night. Saturday's feature performers included Brad Johner and Paul Dwayne.

Cold Crush, shown on the left in the covered band stand, lead off the music parade on both Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

Other local performers to grace the stage included:

Witness
RetroActive
Marc Serre & Stillwell
Country Drifters
Euphoria
Possum
 
Sunday afternoon featured a Kids Talent Contest and the popular Adult Talent Contest finals.

The 21st Annual Truck Pulling Contest was once a gain a huge fan favourite, pitting heavy duty vehicles against thousands of pounds of cement on a 2000 pound sled. Below, we see Jean Labelle's 2004 3.5L GMC Canyon ready to pull 3000 pounds in his first try.

Labelle's truck had absolutely no difficulty making the full pull and went on in the competition which continued both Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

There was plenty to see and do for the entire family during this year's event. Following is a small sample of the photos that were taken of the facilities on Saturday afternoon.

Congratulations to the Hanmer Knights of Columbus Council #5005 for another job well done!

We want to thank Sharon Neelands for the following letter. As a result of her comments we are now working on a special section to address her concerns. Hopefully, it should be on the main site within a couple of weeks.

  With all the different contributing factors of bad breath one thing is certain, good oral hygiene is imperative in helping to control your breath.  If you think you have bad breath seek treatment, once you can pin point the cause or source of your bad breath the success is more attainable

Part One: Bacteria and Oral malodor

There are numerous bacteria present in the mouth.  

The different species of bacteria are essential in keeping the oral flora balanced in the oral cavity.  It is important to have some bacteria in the mouth although not all bacteria are good.  Once the bacteria break down and die they produce gases called Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC).  If not removed,  these compounds continue to accumulate and combined with the air from the mouth will cause a malodor.  

VSC’s are toxic to oral tissues and can cause periodontal disease, irritation to oral tissue, and bad breath.  Bacteria can accumulate anywhere in the mouth.  The teeth, inside of the checks, and gums are some places bacteria can accumulate therefore it is necessary to keep these areas clean by brushing and flossing. Due to its rough surface and crevices, the tongue is the most common place for bacteria to be deposited.  Thus creating large amounts of sulfur compounds causing bad breath.  Simply brushing the tongue with a tooth brush will not dispose of the bacteria imbedded deep into the crevices of the tongue but will only move the bacteria around.  As Dr. Mel Babot DDS. States: the key is mechanical removal by using a “rake like” tongue scraper to reach in and remove the debris from the tongue.

The absence of saliva can also cause bad breath by promoting more anaerobic bacteria to accumulate in the mouth.  Read more about this topic in the following section entitled, “Oral dryness and bad breath".

Part Two: Oral Dryness And Bad Breath

One of the leading causes of oral malodor can come from xerostomia.  Xerostomia better known as dry mouth is a common occurrence in many people.  One of the contributing factors to dry mouth is medication such as certain heart medication, antidepressants. Some of the most common types of drugs that can cause dry mouth are-Decongestants, Diuretics, Antidepressants, Antihistamines, Antispasmatics, and Puffers.  Stress, smoking, and age are also things that can cause xerostomia. 

Saliva is a very important bodily function.  Saliva washes out the mouth of food debris, sugars, and bacteria.  Without saliva food cannot be easily washed away therefore staying on your teeth longer causing possible plaque build up, thus leading to tooth decay and possibly gum disease and ultimately causing a foul odor from your mouth.  Bacteria need to be constantly washed away.  Without saliva, bacteria will stay in the gums, between teeth, and on the dorsal surface of the tongue.  These bacteria will then break down and produce volatile sulfur compounds resulting in irritation of the tissues and bad breath.

The first step to try and teat bad breath is to eliminate the source. Although sometimes the answer is not that easy if the cause of xerostomia is age or medication.  Therefore keeping your mouth clean and using mechanical techniques for getting rid of debris with a tongue scraper and toothbrush are of the utmost importance.  Using alcoholic based mouthwashes like scope or Listerine are detrimental with someone with dry mouth; it can cause further xerostomia and even further irritation.  Ask your Denturist for what is best for you to use.  Some examples are Biotene and Oxyfresh.

Part Three: Are My Dentures The Source of My Bad Breath?

As we know, bacteria that accumulates on the tongue or in other places in the mouth produce sulfur compounds which leads to bad breath.  Bacteria can also accumulate on the surface or even within the denture.  Microscopically, dentures have a porous surface allowing bacteria to enter and therefore, dentures must be cleaned everyday and rinsed between every meal to minimize the accumulation of bacteria.  Scratches in the denture are an ideal place for bacteria to accumulate.

Toothpastes like Crest or Colgate are made for use on natural teeth, and they are much too abrasive for dentures, thus producing scratches. To try to avoid scratches in your denture, use non-abrasive cleaning products such as liquid soap, polident denture paste, Oxyfresh non-fluoride toothpaste, soaking tablets or liquid denture cleaners such as Dentanet. With time odors can  stay strapped  in the denture causing it to smell and giving the denture wearer bad breath.

Here is a little test to see if it is your denture that is causing your bad breath.

Remove your denture, rinse them under water, and place it into a zip lock baggie.  Let it sit for five minutes and then open the bag a little and smell.  The odor you smell is what other people can smell.  Sometimes the odor is impossible to remove and a new denture is needed.  The average life of a denture is between 5 to 7 years.  Call your denturist for an appointment if you think your denture is causing your bad breath.

If you would like to find out more about Beswick Denture Clinic or the Beswick Footcare Clinic, simply go to their comprehensive web site at the following link>>>>