WOW!!! What a great Sunday, June 13th morning we had. For those of you that attended our annual Freedom to Move Walk and Wheel for Dystonia Medical Research you know what a great job you did. Thank you so much for all your hard work. Today we raised $13,120.71. That is the most we have ever raised, so congratulations! Special thanks go to Dwayne Backer who had another personal best collecting $4056. He approached 315 people of which 190 were Wal-Mart employees. He is hoping that Wal-Mart will match the amount his associates contributed which will give us a further $1500.

    Also attending was Corinne Fewster-Gagne with her family and friends. Her son Beckham was diagnosed at 11 months with dopa-responsive dystonia which can be treated with dopamine. It was a long hard struggle to get the diagnosis and Beckham is the youngest person that doctors had heard of when his neurologist brought his case to a recent neurological conference. So his neurologist in Ottawa is following his case with a lot of interest. Corinne and Beckham were sponsored for $500 by the committee that runs the Rick McDonald Memorial Ball Tournament so we are thankful to them. Rick, a police officer, killed in the line of duty, was Corinne's first husband. Corinne's family & friends also brought in an additional $1507.       

   I am also excited that members from the Elizabeth Fry Chapter IODE came out to support the cause. I also belong to this charitable organization and 9 of us raised $2955. IODE was promoting fitness during the month of June so we all got pedometers and we hope to walk enough steps to theoretically cross Canada . Coco Lariviere’s family came out to support her as always and raised $1447.71. Richard Guy had a personal best and raised $1325. These are just some of the highlights. Every contribution is greatly appreciated and I know how difficult it is to ask people for money so I am pleased with everyone’s efforts.

   Special thanks to Linda Thompson for getting all the food donated and collecting it all. Thank you to our food sponsors Tim Horton’s (Hanmer), Food Basics (Hanmer), Metro (Val Caron) and Neil’s YIG. Thanks also to Len Shymkiw for his dazzling BBQ skills along with his handy helper Harry Thompson. Thanks also to Brenda Morris (my sister-in-law) & her friend Barb Zaitz for helping to set up and take down posters and balloons and your money. Thanks also to Coco 's sisters Suzanne & Lise for helping at the desk as well as Marj McIvor from IODE . 

   We had some great door prizes and I want to thank the donors: Plaza 69 Pharmacy, Staples, Levack Pharmacy, Silver City , M7M Meats, Rusty Cellars, Topper’s Pizza, Scotiabank, Barrydowne Paint & Wallpaper, Wal-Mart, Grand & Toy and Chico ’s Bowl & Sports Lounge.

   Thanks to everyone for making our walk the best walk ever!

   Sincerely, Mary Guy

   The Ontario government is "making positron emission tomography (PET) scanning a publicly insured health service available to cancer and cardiac patients under conditions where PET scans have been proven to be clinically effective."

   The problem is that the insured PET scans will only be performed in Ottawa, London, Toronto, Hamilton and Thunder Bay. Gelinas is trying to pressure the Government of Ontario to make the PET scans available in Sudbury in order to provide equal access to the service for people living in Northeastern Ontario.

   If you wish to sign the petition you can stop by Gelinas' office in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre or call 1-877-280-9990 for more information.

Since putting on their first play in December 1999, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, to their series of three "Crazy 8" productions in 2009, the Valley Community Theatre Communautaire de la Vallée has been entertaining thousands of patrons of the performing arts working out of local secondary schools.

Production Manager, Ron Babin, is hopeful that a business plan will be soon established so that the group can get involved in a project to build or purchase a permanent home for the Theatre Group. "We have some excellent talent in the Valley and anyone who has seen our productions will agree that we need to do better for people who have a passion for the performing arts. We need a permanent facility where we can set up our sound and lighting equipment and leave it there for rehearsals and performances."

While appreciative of the support they have received from the local secondary schools, the fact that volunteers must go to so much work setting up and taking down equipment for performances and rehearsals is "burning them out". Having a permanent location would go a long way to stimulating tremendous interest among young and old alike in the theatre.

If you wish to find out more about the Valley Community Theatre Communautaire de la Vallée, visit their web site at http://www.valleycommunitytheatre.com/

You are also invited to attend the next meeting on April 22, 2010 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Confederation Secondary School amphitheatre (back entrance).

This year the event is once again being hosted by Shoppers Drug Mart Hanmer and Action Sudbury. It is being held in honour of Jazmine Houle, Caitlin Jelley, Steven Phillipe and Tyler Goulais, another young man whose live was taken this year. The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 12 noon to 7 p.m. in the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot on Hwy 69N, right across from the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. Donations will be accepted through Action Sudbury.  

This year Amandah Kohls and her good friend, Amy Stephens will be co-chairing the event.

You can go to a special Facebook site that has been set up for this event. If you would like to make any donations for the penny table or even make a cash donation, you can drop in to the Shoppers Drug Mart.

At the end of May, Confederation Secondary School’s Evolutionary Band is preparing to depart on a four day whirlwind tour in Southern Ontario that will see them performing four concerts in four days. Their first gig will be in Lindsay , Ontario where Zack Werner, Canadian Idol judge and president of Venus Records will be joining them on the first leg of the tour. When he visited their school last November with a film crew, Werner’s intention was to shoot enough footage to make a trailer to pitch a TV series about Evolutionary.
 
“The trailer/pitch so far is spectacular. Now I want to make it unbelievable,” Werner said recently in an email to the band. “ This is the time of your lives and I feel so lucky to get a chance to capture it on film and then show it to the world. We are hoping to sell this trailer to major entertainment channels nationally and internationally. Who knows? Maybe by this time next year, you may be on a reality TV series.”

“This will be a grueling four days for the students ,” says music director, Norm McIntosh. “They will certainly get a first hand look at life on the road as they experience long hours of traveling on the bus , unloading sets and equipment, setting up, performing and then re-loading and moving on to the next venue. Their days will be starting early as the bus pulls out every morning at 5:45 a.m. Unlike professional musicians, these students are their own ‘roadees’. The band and crew members have worked hard all year to prepare for this tour. They are also responsible for all the fund-raising that is required to pay for the trip. We are looking forward to working with Zack and his crew again. The students are especially excited to have been invited to drop in at Werner’s 100 acre farm for a swim a volleyball game and a BBQ.”

“We are so proud of our students in Evolutionary and what they are accomplishing,” says Confederation School Principal, Mike Mirka. “Just this past Saturday night, our school gym was packed with a crowd of close to 800 for the band’s Annual Mother’s Day Concert. The band received several well-deserved standing ovations throughout the course of the evening. It is an honor to have someone of Mr. Werner’s caliber who is interested in shooting a film (series) about our Evolutionary.”

Evolutionary’s 30th Anniversary ‘Bring it to the Wall’ Tour takes place from May 25-29. Concert cities include Lindsay, Belleville , Cornwall and Carleton Place . Werner and his crew will be filming the band at both the Lindsay and Belleville concerts. Evolutionary is a 25 piece rock band with a 16 member stage crew. This band set the Guinness World Record in 2007 for the deepest concert below sea level the earth’s crust when they played a concert at the 3400 ft. level at Vale Inco’s North Mine. Evolutionary is Northern Ontario ’s No Drinking and Driving Band. They promote this cause to their audiences at all of their concerts.

If you’d like more information about Evolutionary Band, their upcoming tour and Zack Werner’s film shoot or to schedule an interview, please call Norm McIntosh, Music Director, Confederation Secondary School, Rainbow District School Board at (705) 671-5948 , ext. 6150.

We are pleased to help our long-time friend, Mary Guy, let everyone know about this years Dystonia Walk-and-Wheel which will be held at the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre on Sunday, June 13, 2010 . Registration is at 9:30 a.m. and the walk begins at 10:00 a.m. The following is a press release sent out by Mary.

Do you take for granted your sight, your speech, your ability to write, to eat,  to walk or play your favourite instrument? Those stricken with dystonia may find one or some or all of these abilities compromised.

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes muscles to tighten and twist involuntarily.  It can affect the eyes, jaw, voice box, neck, hands and limbs and in extreme cases the entire body. Dystonia affects people of all ages and gender and can be painful and uncomfortable.  It is the third most common movement disorder after Parkinson’s disease and Tremor.

 An estimated 50,000 Canadians have dystonia. Yet incredibly, few people have heard about this unusual condition. As such, dystonia often goes either undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed.  There are some effective treatments for dystonia which makes awareness all that more crucial to those suffering without knowing what is wrong with them.

Please join Mary Guy on June13th at 10am at the Howard Armstrong Recreation Centre in Hanmer to participate in the 13^th Annual Walk for Dystonia Medical Research. You can get more information by going to the following link:

 www.dystoniacanada.org/SudburyWalkandWheel

April 21, 2009 , Greater Sudbury , ON — Mayor John Rodriguez announced today that Greater Sudbury will be participating in Ontario ’s 2010 Conservation Community Challenge.

As part of the campaign, residents of Greater Sudbury are being asked to take The Power Pledge at www.powerpledge.ca and make a few simple conservation actions, from now until Challenge Day in August. By taking The Power Pledge, Ontarians will save money, save electricity and help the environment.

Participating municipalities can compete in two different categories:

• The highest percentage drop in electricity consumption on August 11, and

• The highest per capita participation in the Power Pledge drive.

“Energy conservation is essential in helping combat global warming.  If we all take action and do our small part, collectively we can fight climate change and contribute to cleaner air in our community,” said Mayor Rodriguez “People of Greater Sudbury are proud of their community and committed to energy conservation.  I am confident that we will rise to this challenge and contend for the title of:  Ontario ’s Most Conservation-Conscious Community.”  

Winners of the Community Challenge earn the right to be considered Ontario ’s most conservation-conscious communities, as well as valuable “green” awards. The Woodstock Cup is awarded to the MW Reduction Category winner. Last year’s Community Challenge winners—Sioux Lookout in the Participation Category and Kingston in the Megawatt Reduction Category—will defend their titles in 2010.  

“This initiative is something that Greater Sudbury Hydro supports whole heartedly,” said Chair Doug Craig. “This pledge marks an important step in what we hope will ultimately lead to a commitment of sustained energy conscious actions; and, we encourage our community members to take advantage of the wide range of conservation programs we offer for businesses and homeowners. We’re hoping that the people of Greater Sudbury take this opportunity to learn more about conservation and get behind this challenge.”  

The Community Challenge is a collaboration of the Ontario Power Authority, the Independent Electricity System Operator, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Electricity Distributors Association and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and their associated members. The City of Woodstock continues to play a leadership role spearheading community participation for more than five years. More information is available at www.powerpledge.ca. 

For more information:
Paula Tarini, Supervisor – Conservation
Greater Sudbury Hydro Inc.
705-675-0502 / 705-691-2867

Larissa is looking for community involvement to keep the site up to date and to build it into something that will be useful for parents from the entire region. 

You can visit the site by going to www.nickelcityparents.ca 

If you would like more information you can contact Larissa by email or phone which is found in the contact section of her web site.