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VALLEY EAST TODAY
ONLINE WEEKLY NEWS MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2006 ISSUE |
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Grade 12 Students From Bishop
Alexander Carter Secondary School Enjoy Presentation During Fire
Safety Prevention Week |
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It was a cold and rainy
day, and perhaps the last thing any of the Grade 12 students from Bishop
Alexander Carter Catholic Secondary School were thinking about on October
11, 2006 was fire safety.
However, by the time Public Safety Officer, Leo Frappier was finished,
they all left the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre with much more respect for
the devastating impact fire can have in residential and commercial
settings.
The Fire Services section of the Greater Sudbury Emergency Services
Department conducted many school and public demonstrations and displays
during the week to try to bring a higher level of awareness among the
public, and in particular the younger segment of the population, of the
major issues with respect to fire safety.
"There are still some people who are unaware of our smoke detector
policy which requires all residential establishments to have at least one
smoke detector on each floor," explained Frappier. These public
presentations give us an opportunity to drive home some of the
responsibilities we all have to prevent fire from destroying our lives and
the lives of others around us.
"Sparky", that lovable mascot that always draws the attention
of the younger crowd, was on hand.
Besides the presentation to the students, representatives from the Fire
Services Department were available all day long to talk to the general
public and to hand out information brochures and children's colouring
books.
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Phoebe Rouse, shown
in the photo on the left, is on a placement with the Fires Services
Department during the first semester. She will remain on a full-time
placement until the end of January when she will return to Confederation
Secondary School to complete the rest of her Grade 12 credits.
Despite the fact that Phoebe may have to return to school during the
fall 2007 semester to take a few other credits before qualifying for a
university program, she stated that she is very glad that she took part in
the cooperative education option. The experience has done her a world of
good and she has definitely learned a lot by working with the staff of the
Fire Services Department.
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The Community Shows
Their Support For Monique Laderoute & Her Family On October
15 |
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A steady flow of traffic was the order of the day on
Sunday, October 15, 2006 at the St. Jacques Parish Hall in Hanmer as
hundreds of family, friends and acquaintances showed their love and support
for Monique Laderoute and her sons. The Laderoutes are hoping to get
themselves back on their feet and start life all over again now that they
are back home in Canada.
Joanne Kinney, on the far left, Jean Somers, sitting
beside Joanne, and Sabrina Kinney, standing with the red top, spent most of
the afternoon greeting guests at the entrance. Joanne and Sabrina are
cousins, while "Aunt Jean" has been referred to as Monique's
"lifeline" as she was attempting to escape from the ravages of
war-torn Lebanon just a couple of months ago.
For more photos from the afternoon, and more of the
story about how Monique ended up in this state, click
here>>>>
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Redwood Acres Public School
FundRaising Committee Is Very Active In The Community |
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It is extremely difficult to introduce Mrs. Mary Picciottoli-Lyons. Here
she is show with her two children, Erik Lyons (6) and Jessika Lyons (9).
Erik is in Grade 1 and Jessika is in Grade 4 at Redwood Acres Public
School of Hanmer. On this day Mary is introduced in her capacity as the
Fund-Raising Coordinator for the Redwood Acres School Council. This
particular project involves the selling of chocolate bars and
chocolate-covered almonds to generate revenue for school field trips which
will enhance the curriculum program at the school. Mary has a very
ambitious plan for the year and will be setting up at the Hanmer Valley
Shopping Centre several times during the year for Penny Table Sales and
Gift Basket Raffles.
As Past Chair of the School Council Mary finds that it is important for
schools to get out into the community. "I just love spending time
letting the general public know what we are doing at the schools. I think
it is important for everyone, not just the parents of children in the
school, to be aware of what is going on with the activities at the school.
Besides her responsibilities at Redwood Acres, Mary is also a Full-time
student in the Child & Youth Worker Program at Cambrian College and is
currently on placement at Immaculate Conception School in Val Caron. She
is also a Guide Leader with the 1st Valley Guides which meet at Immaculate
Conception School every week. On top of that, Mary operates an
"after-school" Day Care Program out of her home. When asked how
she manages, Mary simply states, "Well you do what you have to do
when you are a mother. I think it is important to be involved with my
children and I just love helping out in any way I can." Mary also
indicated that she still has a few hours open in case something else comes
up.
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Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses
Provide Information Display Every Month |
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The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses have scheduled one weekend every
month when they will be at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre with an
information display and free literature for anyone who is interested in
finding out more about their organization. Above, Marie and Jennifer
Dawson took the first shift on Saturday, October 14, 2006, while Cassandra
Porter and Linda Vincent took the second shift.
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The Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, located on Hwy 69North just
across from Carol Richard Park in Val Caron, includes approximately
150 "members" or "publishers". Recent renovations to
the structure which was built in 1990 have been completed and it is
expected that Valley East Today will be taking our readers on a
"Virtual Tour" of the facility in coming weeks. In the meantime,
if you have any questions you would like to address to the Jehovah
Witnesses or if you are interested in becoming a member, simply email Philip
Dawson by clicking on his name.
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Teens Are Starting To Realize That
The Valley East Youth Centre Is A Place They Can Call Their Own |
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Susan Johnston was elated on the evening
of October 13 when about two dozen teens from the area dropped in to take
part in a special social evening at the Valley East Youth Centre.
For Susan, who has seen both the highs and
the lows during the 25 years she has been involved with the Centre, it was
music to her ears to listen to the young people filling the rooms with
laughter and conversation.
Today, as Chairperson for the Board of
Directors, Sue finds herself facing an uphill battle to keep the centre
open. At the present time the facility is open to youth on Friday evenings
only, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
She is hopeful that a new City Council may
place a higher priority on youth and will perhaps provide sufficient
funding so that she can once again hire two staff and keep the facility
open five days a week.
Darleen Hillier,
shown on the right, the only other active Board member with the Valley
East Youth Centre along with Susan Johnson, is convinced that they can
once again bring the Youth Centre back to where it was when it was at the
height of its popularity.
"Many people have given up on the Valley East Youth Centre, but
Susan and I just wouldn't throw in the towel. We are going to keep
fighting and plugging away to keep this Centre open and provide young
people with a place where they can have some good, wholesome entertainment
and meet with their friends."
Mike and Nicole Savoie, of Hanmer, were parents who had heard all kinds
of bad things about the Valley East Youth Centre. "When we told some
of our friends that our son wanted to go to the Youth Centre, they warned
us to keep him away. We told them that we were not just going to drop him
off, but that we were going to visit the place and check it out first. Now
that we've seen the place and met with Susan and Darlene, we are very
happy with what we saw."
In fact, both Mike and Nicole have offered to volunteer to help out in
any way possible to ensure that the Centre continues to function. "If
you have any negative perceptions of the Valley East Youth Centre, all you
have to do is visit it once and your perceptions will change,"
indicated Nicole, who is a teacher at Ecole Secondaire Hanmer.
We took a few pictures of the young people in their activities at the
Centre. Click here to see some of those photos
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The City of Greater Sudbury owns the building, so that is at least
helping to keep the Youth Centre going with volunteers such as Sue
Johnston. However, it is likely going to be up to the Corporate Sector to
step in with private sector funding if this community is going to continue
to have a Youth Centre much longer.
The Valley East Youth Centre needs the help of the community. If anyone
is interested in stepping forward, call and leave a message for Sue
Johnston. She is willing to listen to anyone who is in a position to help
out. And right now, Sue could sure use a helping hand.
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