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The Lemonade Stand
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"We Always Ended Up With A Rainbow"
says Verna About Her 50 Years With Stan
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MEMERE CHAPUT TAKES HER
GRANDCHILDREN TO SEE SANTA
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Roy St. Jacques
Continues To Collect Pop Cans In Support Of Special Olympics Bowling
League
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Darlene Bourdeau Makes Perfect Guess In
First Annual Great Pumpkin Contest
-
An Outside Perspective On
Valley East From A Young Family That Is Part Of The Club
-
Honorable Ken Dryden, Minister of
Minister of Social Development Autographs Posters For March of Dimes
Auction
-
Stopping Pucks Was Easy
Compared To What Gail Leroux Has Been Through In Her Life
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Ronald Ross Has Cut A
Lot of Hair During The Past 50 Years
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Angele Mrochek - A Passion For Life That
Is Making All The Difference In The World For Her Family And Her Community
School
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Jennifer Higgs Has A Very Special
Relationship With Her Younger Brother After Successful Kidney
Transplant
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Carissa Henry Gets First Hand Experience In
Journalism Working At The Vision Paper
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Local Family Expresses Appreciation To
Val Caron Animal Hospital For Going That Extra Step To Give Sasha A Happy
Life And A Dignified Ending
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Roger Chevrier Performs His Finger Style Guitar
Style On The First Saturday of Every Month
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Grandpa’s Girl
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Shave For Hope Day Held At Pioneer Manor
To Raise Funds For Cancer Research
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The Lemonade
Stand
“If Everyone Does A Little We Can All Help A
Lot
”
by
Robert Kirwan
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As I drove towards the
Centennial Arena during Valley East Days, I couldn’t help notice the
bright colourful umbrella and tables on the lawn at the corner of Laurier
and
Centennial Drive
. Being curious, and always on the lookout for a good story, so I stopped
and investigated. After speaking to Chris Hein, the father of two of the
girls operating the stand, I found out that one day recently, Chris was
having a normal everyday discussion with his daughters, Jamie, 4, on the
far right in the photo, and Brooklyne, 6, in the middle, when the girls
told him that they wanted to help people who had cancer.
Chris had always told his children that it never hurts to help
someone else, so to hear this suggestion come from his young girls touched
him deeply as a parent. After some planning, they made all of the
arrangements to run a lemonade stand with their friend, Isabelle Chaput, 9
on the far left, and decided to set up on a busy corner during Valley East
Days where a lot of people would see them. The girls asked their
Grandmother, who lives in the area, for some vegetables to sell as well.
They baked cookies and rice crispy squares in the morning with their
father and then enjoyed a beautiful Saturday raising money that they would
donate to the Terry Fox Run. According to Chris, “Can you think of a
better way for a father to spend a Saturday than helping his children in a
worthy cause such as this?”
These three girls from
Notre Dame School in Hanmer learned a valuable lesson from their lemonade
stand, and their participation in the Terry Fox Run will become an annual
event for the Hein’s Family. Yes, Brooklyne, you are absolutely right.
“If everyone does a little, we can all help a lot.”
As I went back to my
car with my wrapped up piece of rice crispies square, I wondered how many
others who saw these three cute little girls that day recalled a life when
lemonade stands and sitting on the grass all afternoon were the norm
rather than the exception. The last thing I saw when I pulled away was the
bright smile from Jamie who showed sincere appreciation for my support of
her lemonade stand. She may never realize that what she handed me was much
more than simply a piece of dessert – she gave me a chance to remember a
time that I had almost forgotten. Thank you girls.
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“We
Always Ended Up With A Rainbow” says Verna About Her 50 Years With Stan |
Stan and Verna Martin, of
Capreol, the couple on the left in the photo, celebrated their 50th
Wedding Anniversary this summer by sharing their happiness with a
community celebration. Hundreds of well-wishers joined in a variety of
events during the weekend, culminating with the renewal of their wedding
vows followed by an afternoon social at Our Lady of Peace Church in
Capreol. At one point on Saturday evening, someone told Verna that they
had counted 104 people in the Martin’s back yard. Joining other friends
and family members were Verna’s aunt and uncle, Tom and Audrey Kirwan,
of Lively, shown on the right. The Kirwan’s celebrated their 56th
wedding anniversary in September.
Stan and Verna grew up in
Capreol. Verna was one of the 11 children raised by Phil and Margaret
Sawyer, so the Sawyer influence on the community was rather extensive.
Stan, for example, served for 13 years on Town Council, for a time as
Deputy Mayor, and was involved in numerous community organizations.
Martin’s Variety was
started by Stan and Verna, and when Stan was transferred to work in
Minnesota
in 1979, it was taken over by the oldest daughter, Karen and her husband
Tom Lennox. While they have only been back “home” for two years, Stan
and Verna feel as welcome as if they never left. The Anniversary Weekend
was proof positive that they are still as loved as ever by their family
and friends.
“There
have been many ups and downs and challenges over the years,” claimed
Verna. “We had five children in six years, so it wasn’t easy. But no
matter how hard things got we always ended up with a rainbow.”
Verna went on to offer
some advice to young couples today, “I always tell people, don’t
complain or get upset about anything. It’s going to change and things
will always get better. Whatever you do, don’t quit. And when your
husband asks you to go out for breakfast or to go for a walk, drop
everything you are doing and go. The other stuff can wait. The dishes will
always be there when you get back, but you can never recover the time you
have to spend with each other.”
The Martin’s have
thirteen grandchildren ranging in age from 6 to 26 and according to Verna,
“Each one is special. And when they come over I treasure every minute I
am with them.”
Stan and Verna Martin may
have been the focus of the weekend, but this turned out to be a
celebration of the commitment that two people can have for each other and
what their example means to an entire community.
While it is customary to
“congratulate” Stan and Verna, it is more appropriate to say “Thank
You” for showing us how to get the most out of life.
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MEMERE CHAPUT TAKES HER
GRANDCHILDREN TO SEE SANTA |
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Memere Rita Chaput loves Christmas. And one look at three
of her grandchildren sitting on Santa's lap shows you why. Here the Julien
children, Paul (7), Natalie (3) and Mathieu (5) smile brightly while
Memere takes a picture of them on Santa's knees in the Hanmer Valley
Shopping Centre. The children live with their parents in Chelmsford, but
always love visiting Memere Chaput.
Rita explains, "Christmas is always a blast at my house when the
11 grandchildren and 7 children gather. And when Santa arrives during the
evening, he is always greeted with 21 stockings to stuff."
When you see three wonderful children like Paul, Natalie and Mathieu,
you just have to love this season.
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Memere Rita Chaput always has fun when she comes to the
Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre. Above she demonstrates how to get in the
spirit during the Halloween Costume Day held at the mall. |
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Roy St. Jacques
Continues To Collect Pop Cans In Support Of Special Olympics Bowling
League |
|
If you live in the community of Val Therese, or if you
happen to shop at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, you have seen a man
carrying garbage bags full of empty pop cans and beer bottles. You may not
have paid much attention to this man. I know I never gave him much thought
until last fall when I found out that his name is Roy St. Jacques, and what
he is doing with those garbage bags is truly remarkable and he should be
an inspiration to all of us.
Roy
is a Special Olympics 5 Pin Bowler from the Bonaventure Lanes Challenge
League in Val Caron. This is a Tuesday Night League that helps
developmentally challenged individuals enjoy the sport of bowling. The
collection of aluminum pop and beer cans is the major fund-raiser for the
league and is put towards the expenses of the members.
Roy
has going door to door collecting over 25 bags of cans for over a year in
the area near the shopping center and around Val Therese. He is very
appreciative of the support he has received from residents as he walks his
route up and down the streets collecting the cans. The mall has also
provided him with the loan of a shopping cart to help with the
project.
All year long the bowlers collect pop cans and refundable bottles. The
proceeds are used by the league to help pay for the banquet. Roy, who is
know in these circles as the "Pop Can Man" was responsible for
collecting the largest number of cans. In all, over 400,000 cans, weighing
in at over 7 tons were collected.
Despite his busy schedule,
Roy
is never in too much of a hurry to say hello or to stop and talk for a few
minutes. He is never too busy to give you a smile or ask you how your day
is going.
Roy
may not be the president of a large multi-national company. He may not
drive around in an expensive car or ever run for election. But what he is
doing is certainly adding to the character of this fine community and he
is definitely making a difference.
Every Tuesday the group gathers at Bonaventure Lanes at
6:30 p.m. The bowl one game and then have a fifteen minute break for
snacks and refreshments before bowling the second game. Everything is over
by about 8:30 p.m. This year each of the participants were presented with their own
Special Olympics Jacket thanks to the money raised by the pop can
collection. Roy is shown on the right proudly wearing his jacket this
summer.
The head coach for the Valley East
Ontario Special Olympics Team is Claude Poitras.
Anyone interested in registering for the League for the
2006-2007 season can just call Claude for more information at 969-5981.
The League starts the first Tuesday after the September long weekend and
finishes at the end of April, a total of about 33 weeks. |
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Darlene Bourdeau Makes Perfect Guess In
First Annual Great Pumpkin Contest |
Darlene
Bourdeau, a 13-year old Grade 8 student from
Pinecrest
Public School
was the only one among thousands of entrants to correctly come up with the
correct weight of 368 pounds in the First Annual Hanmer Valley Shopping
Centre’s Great Pumpkin Contest held in October and November 2005..
Darlene says she didn’t think much about the guess, simply putting down
the first three numbers that came into her head. Darlene appeared in the
photo with Val Mazzuca, owner of the HVSC and Anthony Van Alphen, the man
who grew the giant pumpkin for the contest. Anthony, who is a retired INCO
worker, has been growing one pumpkin each year for about 15 years now. He
plants carefully selected seeds and then pollinates one pumpkin in late
July or early August. By trimming away all of the rest of the pumpkins,
the plant is allowed to focus all of the nourishment into one
pumpkin…and presto – you have a giant pumpkin. This is the largest
Anthony has ever grown. The previous record was 332 pounds. Next year he
is going to try to have the pumpkin pollinated in July to see if he can
hit 400 or more pounds. Make sure you look for it in the mall next
October. For Darlene, it was quite a month. She just received a $600
scholarship from a Toronto-based modeling company and now wins the $50 top
prize in the Great Pumpkin Contest. The Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre
thanks all shoppers who took part in the contest. |
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An Outside Perspective On
Valley East From A Young Family That Is Part Of The Club |
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Vito Signorile is shown with
his 3-year old son, Anthony, who has just caught a “prize” at the
Childrens’ Fish Pond which was part of a display set up at the Hanmer
Valley Shopping Centre by the Trailsmen Rod & Gun Club.
Vito and his wife, Roxanne,
are typical of young families who are moving in to the City of
Greater Sudbury
from larger centers to the south. In fact, their youngest child, Nicholas,
who is only a year old, was born after they moved.
Born and raised in
Toronto
, Vito and his wife, who was originally from Longlac, lived in
King
City
, generally considered to be a relatively good place for a young family.
“It is just so congested
and busy in
Southern Ontario
,” explained Vito when asked why they decided to come north. “Even in
King
City
, we found that it wasn’t a place where we wanted to raise a family.
Both my wife and I had to work to keep up the mortgage and other expenses,
and we simply decided that it was more important for us to have a
much higher quality of life as a family.”
When they decided to sell
their home and move to the Greater Sudbury Area, there was no question
where they wanted to settle. “
Valley East
is the ideal community for us. It has that “small town” feeling where
everyone is so friendly to each other and you can say hello to perfect
strangers. There is a great community spirit compared to what we were able
to find in the south. It is a place where you can get involved in just
about anything and people are just so open and accepting.”
With family life being so
important, Vito and Roxanne found that they could even meet their
financial obligations with only one income. “We decided that our kids
were our top priority, and in
Valley East
we can afford to live on one income. Having Roxanne as a stay-at-home mom
is such a benefit to living in this area. It is something that we
couldn’t do if we were still in
King
City
. Now, we don’t have to worry about bring our children to a day care at
7 in the morning, or leaving work early when we get a phone call during
the day that our kids are sick. These are very important things to us and
in
Valley East
we are allowed to live the life we want without suffering at all.”
The Signorile’s are the
kind of new members that the Trailsmen Rod and Gun Club are trying to
attract. “My wife and I love the outdoors and we wanted to get involved
with a group where we would meet a lot of people with similar interests.
So when we moved here two years ago we joined the Trailsmen Rod & Gun
Club. It is something that I would recommend to anyone with children.”
It is always nice to get a
fresh perspective on the community spirit that exists in
Valley East
. At times, people who have lived in the area for a long time lose site of
how much we have to be thankful for in this town. Perhaps Vito put it all
into proper perspective when he said, “I can even leave my car unlocked
here.” |
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Honorable Ken Dryden, Minister of
Minister of Social Development Autographs Posters For March of Dimes
Auction |
|
The Honorable Ken
Dryden, Minister of Minister of Social Development, is shown at the Hanmer
Valley Shopping Centre signing his autograph on a poster that will be
auctioned off at a March of Dimes Cupid’s Night Valentines Dance which
will be held on
February 4, 2006
at the Centennial Arena. In the photo with Mr. Dryden is Ray Bonin,
Liberal MP for the Nickel Belt Riding on the far right. Sitting at the
table on the far left is Gail Leroux, the person responsible for
organizing the fund-raising dance. Immediately behind her is Gerty
Burnett, who at the spry age of 84 will be recognized as the organ player
at some of the masses at Our Lady of Peace Parish. Standing in the
background, directly behind Gerty with the brown-sleeved jacket and
baseball cap is Al Leroux, Gail’s husband.
Ken
Dryden will be remembered for his skills as a professional goaltender with
the Montreal Canadians and more importantly as the goaltender for Team
Canada
in the famous 1972 Summit Series against the
Soviet Union
. He was at the opposite end of the rink when Paul Henderson scored the
winning goal that shook the world back on
September 28, 1972
giving
Canada
a 6-5 win that clinched the series.
Dryden
played in just eight seasons but won six Stanley Cups, was named to the
NHL Hall of Fame in 1983 and is recognized as the 4th best
goalie of all time behind Terry Sawchuck, Jacques Plante and Glen Hall.
Dryden’s
toughest match of all may be coming up on
January 23, 2006
when Canadians go to the polls to elect a new Federal Government.
Ken
Dryden and Ray Bonin stopped to visit constituents at the Hanmer Valley
Shopping Centre on
Monday, January 16, 2006
as part of a tour of the riding. It was an opportunity for local residents
to see the famous goaltender and discuss major issues of the day. Dozens
of fans of all ages and both sexes kept Dryden busy signing autographs and
posing for photos.
|
|
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Ken
Dryden
Career
Highlights |
|
·
Ken was drafted by
Boston
in the sixties but he decided to pursue his law
degree at Cornell.
·
Dryden make his NHL debut against the Pens on
Mar 17, 1971
.
·
Played in just six games during the 1971 season but he was the
starter in the playoffs vs
Boston
.
·
The Bruins had set a NHL record for scoring 399 goals during the
regular season.
·
Dryden lost the first game and was down 5-1 in the second game when
the comeback started.
·
Montreal
with brilliant goaltending from Dryden won the
second game 7-5.
·
Montreal
went on to knock out the favored Bruins and to
eventually beat
Chicago
for the Cup.
·
Dryden won the
Conn
Symthe trophy
for the MVP of the 1971 playoffs.
·
Ken won the 1972 Calder Trophy for outstanding rookie.
·
Sat out the 1973-74 season and worked with an Law firm in an effort
to obtain a fair contract from the Habs.
·
Ken was one of the tallest goalies of his time at 6' 4".
·
Won or shared the Vezina Trophy 5 times as a Canadien.
·
Dryden was named to the NHL all-star team 5 times in his
career.
·
Played just 8 seasons in the NHL.
·
Dryden retires following the 1979 Stanley Cup finals against the
Rangers.
·
Finished his career with 258 wins vs 57 losses and 74 ties
and a GAA of 2.24.
·
Ken never lost more than 10 games in a regular season during his
career.
·
Won 6
Stanley
Cups in
his 8 NHL Seasons.
·
Named to the NHL Hall of Fame in June 1983.
·
Has practiced as a lawyer since leaving The Game and has
written two books on the subject.
·
Ranked 25th best player of All-Time by the Hockey News
(4th best goalie, behind
only Sawchuk, Plante & Hall)
|
|
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Val Mazzuca, owner of the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre,
with Ken Dryden and Ray Bonin. |
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Stopping Pucks Was Easy
Compared To What Gail Leroux Has Been Through In Her Life
|
|
It was an absolute thrill for Gail Leroux, shown in the photo on the far
left, when Ken Dryden signed his autograph on the poster she had made to
promote the Cupid’s Night Valentine’s Dance she is organizing to raise
money for the March of Dimes. Also in the picture are 84 year old, Gerty
Burnett, and Gail’s husband, Al, standing. The dance will be held at the
Centennial Arena on Saturday, February 4, 2006 from 8 p.m. to 1 p.m. Gail
will be at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre every afternoon until January
28, 2006 selling tickets at $20 per person or $40 per couple. Half of the
money will pay for expenses and the other half will be donated to the
March of Dimes. Gail is hoping to sell 200 tickets for the dance which
will feature music by Fran’s Dance Mix.
Gail Leroux’s life
changed forever when, at the age of 16, she was involved in a serious car
accident which claimed the lives of two other teenagers and resulted in
the eventual suicide of one of the others who ended up with brain damage.
Even though Gail suffered broken bones in 108 places in her body, spend a
whole year in hospital recovering, went through over 50 operations, and
has endured over 40 years of intense pain, she claims that, “I
wouldn’t want to change a thing about my life. I’m happy and I’ve
got my faith.”
She gives much of the
credit for helping her get through all of the challenges she has faced in
her life to her husband of 39 years, Al, who she met while in a wheelchair
following the accident. He has stayed by her giving her support and love
ever since. “My husband always says that as long as we can put our feet
on the floor in the morning, we know we’re ok! I listen for his feet to
touch the floor in the morning and I am happy. He does the same with me.
What more could we ask from life?”
Gail was born in
Saskatchewan
, but moved to
Sudbury
when she was very
young. She has lived in Capreol for the past ten years, and has been
pretty much wheelchair bound ever since moving to Capreol.
“The March of Dimes
has been so good to me,” explained Gail when asked why she was
organizing this special fund-raising dance. “They helped me make my
house and vehicle more wheel chair accessible. They have been absolutely
wonderful to me, and I just wanted to give something back to them.
Gail’s goal is to
some day take her wheelchair and ride to
Saskatchewan
and back to raise
money for Cancer and Heart research.
People who purchase
tickets can qualify for an Early Bird Draw if they buy before January 28.
The winner of the first Early Bird Draw was Sandra and Bob Neville. They
will be treated to a Limousine and Dinner for Two donated by the
Ambassador Hotel and a dozen roses donated by Lougheed Flowers. Another
winner will be drawn on
January 28, 2006
.
If anyone wishes to
purchase tickets to help out with this wonderful cause, you can see Gail
at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre every afternoon until January 28 or
purchase tickets at the door on February 4 at the Centennial Arena. |
|
Ken Dryden autographs poster which will be auctioned off
during the dance being organized by Gail Leroux, shown in the background
watching the famous hockey Hall of Famer. |
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Ronald
Ross Has Cut A
Lot
Of Hair
During The Past 50 Years
|
|
Ronald Ross
may be almost 70 years old, but he has no plans on retiring from his
50-year career as a barber. When
Ron and his wife Gertrude married in June of 1960 and moved into their
current home in Hanmer, little did they expect that 45 years later they
would still be serving their loyal customers out of the very same room in
their original home. Even more amazing is the fact that Ron is
severely hearing impaired. Ron lost his hearing when he was around 5 years
of age and has a mere 16% of a normal hearing level. Yet, despite this
impairment, it hasn’t deterred him from a career he loves – a career
which includes a great deal of conversation with customers.
At
the age of 14, Ron went to College of the Deaf in
Montreal
for 5 years, graduated and went
off to the
Moreau
Barber
School
in
Montreal
. When he finished the Barber
school, at the age of nineteen, he started his business out of his
dad's home on
December 20, 1955
and remained there for five
years. After marrying Gertrude, they moved into their home on Hwy 69 N. in
Hanmer and Ronald’s Barber Shop has continued to this day.
Three
children were raised in the Ross household. Dan, Francine and Suzanne were
all able to walk up the street to Ecole Notre Dame and then eventually to
Ecole Secondaire Hanmer. Their father, Ronald, was always able to be at
home for them while he operated his business. According to Dan, “It was
great! My dad would do a lot of the cooking and household duties during
the day while my mother worked and whenever customers came into the shop
they would press a button that caused the lights to go off briefly. When
that happened, dad would go to the shop and give a haircut. It was a great
way to grow up.”
Claude
Chenier, owner of Valley Plaza Barber Shop in the Hanmer Valley Shopping
Centre, recalls his early days as a barber working for his Uncle Ron. “I
came out of college and spent the first year and a half working for him at
Ron’s Barber Shop. Then I came over here and have been here ever since.
I’m now beginning my 24th year in this career and I expect to
have a story for you to print 26 years from now too.”
Many
residents will recall that Joe Ross, Ron’s father, was Mayor of Hanmer
for a couple of years prior to Ray Plourde.
We
congratulate Ronald and Gertrude on a lifetime of contributions to this
community. The Ross’ are
definitely people to whom we can turn for inspiration and motivation as we
continue to make Valley East a place to grow. As for Ronald, he plans on
continuing to practice his profession as a barber for as long as his
health holds out.
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|
Angele Mrochek - A Passion For Life That
Is Making All The Difference In The World For Her Family And Her Community
School |
When
you first meet her, Angele Mrochek strikes you as an attractive, healthy
30-year old mother with a warm smile. In the photo to the right, she is
standing underneath the engagement photo she took with her husband, J.P.
The two met when she was only 16 and have been married for ten years (as
of the date of this article in January 2006).
Angele and J.P. have three boys who attend Ecole Notre Dame School in
Hanmer. Mathieu is in Grade 5; Martin is in Grade 3; and Miguel is in S.K.
Ironically, both Angele and J.P. also attended that very same Ecole Notre
Dame School when they were in elementary school. Many people will remember
her from her maiden name, Angele Lapointe.
Angele obtained her diploma in Sign Language Communication from Collage
Boreal and appeared headed for a very promising career in this field. It
was then that Angele and J.P. made a very important decision. Instead of
pursuing a career in sign language, Angele decided to pursue a much more
challenging, and far more important career - that of being a full-time
homemaker and mother. She and J.P. meant that it would mean sacrificing
some of the "material" things that a second job could provide,
but they felt fortunate enough to be in a position where they could
"make it" on one salary and decided that it was more important
for their children to have a mom at home.
Angele then took it one step further and decided to become totally
involved with her childrens' school. While they were at St. Michel School,
Angele chaired the annual "Family Day" celebrations which were
always the big event of the year. When St. Michel closed to make room for
the St. Anne School students who are there now, she organized the
"Closing Day Celebrations". Now that her children attend Ecole
Notre Dame, she is in her 2nd year as President of the Parent Teacher
Association and is at the school "just about every day" taking
part in some form of function or activity.
She organized the Annual Christmas Food Drive which was held at Neil's
Your Independent Grocers on December 17, 2005, and is taking care of the
Winter Carnival which is scheduled for February 10, 2006.
When asked why she is so involved, she didn't hesitate with the answer,
"I love doing this! It is so great to be able to go to the school
every day and be active. J.P. and I knew that we were giving up a lot when
I chose this kind of life over employment outside the home, but we've also
gained so much more from the decision. It means so much to my children for
me to be available when they go to school; when they come home; when they
are sick; and when they are doing special things at school. Some days I
wonder what it would be like to be able to afford more material things,
but there is nothing I could buy that would give me the same satisfaction
I have doing what I am doing with my life right now."
Angele encourages more parents and grandparents to get involved with
their schools. Volunteers can add so much to the atmosphere of the
community school and can really provide an excellent example for all of
the children at the school.
We congratulate Angele, and J.P. for supporting her in her decision to
provide an invaluable contribution, not only to her children; not only to
the children of Ecole Notre Dame; but also to the entire community of
Valley East. |
|
|
Jennifer Higgs Has A Very Special
Relationship With Her Younger Brother After Successful Kidney
Transplant |
|
|
At first
glance, Tyler Higgs, 13, and his sister, Jennifer, appear just like any
normal brother and sister. However, on
January 12, 2006
, at the
Ottawa General
Hospital
, Tyler and Jennifer took the relationship to a much higher level when one
of Jennifer’s kidneys was transplanted into
Tyler
’s body.
Tyler
was born with kidney failure, but the problem wasn’t discovered until he
was six years of age. At that time his kidneys were functioning at only
32% capacity. It was then that doctors concluded a transplant would be
needed within several years. He was placed on medication in an attempt to
control the deterioration and it appeared to maintain his condition at a
constant level.
When
Tyler
was eight years old, Jennifer was tested to determine if she could qualify
as a donor for her brother. Not only did Jennifer qualify, but she was
told that the only times the medical staff had ever seen such a perfect
match before was in the case of identical twins. What is even more
remarkable is that
Tyler
was born 17 years after Jennifer; on the same day; 18 minutes apart in
time; at the exact same weight and exactly the same length at birth.
Perhaps coincidence? Perhaps destiny?
Since being diagnosed with renal failure,
Tyler
has been traveling to
Ottawa
for testing and monitoring every one to three months. When his kidney
functioning dropped to below 20% in December 2005, it was decided to go
ahead and set a date for the transplant. That date was January 12.
According to
Tyler
, “I was happy when they decided to do the operation. It was a relief to
know that we were finally going to do it.”
Jennifer shared the feeling, “It was like we were both going to
get our life back. For five years I was on pins and needles waiting for
the day the operation would take place. I knew that it could happen at any
time, so I really had to put my life on hold.”
There was never any hesitation on the part of Jennifer, herself a
mother with two children aged 12 and 4. When she found out that she was a
match, she simply decided that this was something she wanted to do.
As a result of the operation,
Tyler
’s kidneys are now functioning at 67% of normal and that number is
steadily increasing. He feels much healthier and finds it easier to
concentrate at school. The operation has allowed him to focus on
graduating from
Pinecrest
Public School
in June and entering
Confederation
Secondary School
in the Fall.
Besides allowing
Tyler
to get on with his life, it has also given Jennifer an opportunity to move
forward as a self-employed Customer Relations Specialist, working out of
the Valley East Today office at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre.
Both Tyler and Jennifer
went into the operation with the same faith and confidence with which they
have always approached life. As they were being prepared for the
operation, the medical team couldn’t believe how calm and relaxed they
were. But Jennifer commented, “We had lived with the knowledge that this
moment was coming for the past five years. Our decision was made and now
it was in God’s hands. There was nothing for us to worry about.”
Tyler and Jennifer will
live the rest of their lives in the same way as any normal brother and
sister. But there is absolutely nothing normal about their relationship.
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Carissa Henry Gets First Hand Experience
In Journalism Working At The Vision Paper
by
Robert Kirwan |
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Don’t hang up! That
pleasant female voice you hear when you call The Vision Paper during the
afternoons between now and the end of June will be that of Carissa Henry,
17, a Grade 12 student from
Bishop
Alexander
Carter
Secondary School
. Carissa is participating in the
Cooperative Education Program during the second semester. She will be
doing her placement at The Vision Paper, handling a wide range of
responsibilities designed to give her a taste of what it is like to work
in a community newspaper environment.
Carissa is planning on enrolling in the Journalism Program at
Cambrian
College
once she graduates, so the placement will
give her a chance to see what this kind of career is all about. “I like
to read magazines and I always dreamed about having my own column or
writing articles that would be published in those magazines.”
I first met Carissa when she was in one of my Grade 7 English
classes at
St.
Anne
School
. She was one of those students who stick
out in your memory as a teacher. This was a young girl who was polite and
attentive in class. Even back then she seemed to genuinely enjoy writing
weekly essays, short stories, and working on projects, so her love of
writing has obviously been a passion of hers for a long time. While I
cannot remember specific details about her writing, I do recall that she
had a special gift that made her work stand out from the others.
Carissa is a member of the Yearbook Committee and is also Secretary
of the Student Council. Besides that, she enjoys playing school sports
such as soccer, volleyball and hockey. This has, therefore, been a very
busy year.
For the next few months, Carissa will pack up her books every day
at
noon
, trading in her classroom desk for the
desk in the main reception area of the Vision Paper, where she will remain
on duty from
12 noon
until
4:30 p.m.
From time to time, Carissa’s articles and columns will also appear in
The Vision Paper.
As I look at her sitting at the computer, I wonder if Carissa ever
imagined she would one day be writing stories WITH her former Grade 7
English Teacher instead of FOR HIM? This time, I promise, she won’t have
to worry about being marked on her work.
All of the staff of The Vision Paper, including myself, the
Publisher, Pierre Charette, and the General Manager, Jean-Guy Charette,
are very pleased to welcome Carissa to the “team” and sincerely hope
we can be of some assistance in helping her achieve her dream of one day
becoming a professional journalist.
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Local Family Expresses Appreciation To
Val Caron Animal Hospital For Going That Extra Step To Give Sasha A Happy
Life And A Dignified Ending |
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The following is a letter which was written by Tom Lacroix,
a resident of Val Therese who enjoyed taking long walks with his pet
German Shepherd, Sasha. A Dog's life span is very short compared to that
of humans, and yet the attachment of all family members to these wonderful
pets is something that only a pet owner can understand. Sasha is no longer
with us, having succumbed to that which will one day affect all of us, if
we are so lucky - old age and running out of time on this earth. Tom's
letter is an expression of appreciation to the staff of the Val Caron
Animal Hospital, but it is also written on behalf of all pet owners who
perhaps just couldn't find the right words to show their appreciation to a
staff that undoubtedly goes that extra mile to improve the quality of life
of our four-legged friends. |
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To
Larry and his staff:
I would like to take this opportunity to commend you on the
work and services that you provide to pet owners in the Valley. Over
the period of time that we have came to you for your professional
services we were very pleased as a family with the quality,
consideration, and friendliness you have shown.
The card that we received from you and your staff upon the
death of Sasha was greatly appreciated and it showed our family that
not only do you provide a service but also you do care about the
lives of our family. The card we received was politically correct,
but you know that in this instance it was incorrect. Sasha was more
than a pet she was a member of the family.
The paw print was awesome to receive. Our family members were
touched that you did this for us. It is being framed and will be
with her picture on our wall.
I will try to recall the instances for you in which you made
Sasha’s life go from that of a beloved pet to a family member.
Upon our first visit for one of her annual check ups, while
waiting for Larry to come into the examining room, I asked his staff
“if they were going to muzzle Sasha the way she was muzzled at the
other vet’s office”. The staff replied that “if Larry deemed
it necessary to muzzle her he would”. For all of her visits not
once did the staff or Larry ever mention the word muzzle. As the
owner of a female german shepherd I was very pleased, and it showed
me that Larry and his staff had the experience and knowledge to give
Sasha any medical assistance to have a full and rewarding life.
Three or four times during her time here we have had
situations where it was imperative that we had to see Larry. Melissa
made sure that any time we had a medical or an injury that we deemed
important that Sasha see Larry, it was done without any long delays
so that she did not suffer and we as a family did not have to worry
about her.
Larry as our vet knew the condition that Sasha was in. Near
the end when we would watch her at home and see her struggle to do
the things that she had done for years and not be able to do them.
We were heartbroken and we knew what we had to do. When I walked
into the office that morning and told Debbie it was time, she saw
the hurt in my eyes as much as I seen the hurt in hers. Arrangements
were made. I never spoke to Larry until that afternoon when the
procedure was to begin. From the deepest regions of my heart I want
to thank you and your staff for not once questioning me. I thought
that Sasha would have to be examined before Larry would do this
procedure. But as I stated she was under his care for years and he
knew her.
Debbie what can I say, I know you are a german shepherd owner
and I know you have had to do the same thing. Thank you for being
beside me as the procedure took place. Your comforting smile and
soothing voice telling Sasha how good she was reaffirmed what I
already knew. When I glanced over and saw a tear in the corner of
your eye, I knew our decision was the proper one and I was very
happy to have you there not only comforting Sasha but also me.
The poem that was included in our card He Set Me Free is a
keepsake. Along with that, and just this side of Heaven is a place
called
Rainbow
Bridge
, makes our
loss easier to understand and cope with.
Thank you, Dr. Larry Hoscheit, Melissa, Ellen, Kate and
Debbie.
From
the LaCroix family and Sasha |
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Roger Chevrier Performs His Finger Style Guitar
Style On The First Saturday of Every Month |
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Roger Chevrier is shown in the Centre Court Lounge at the Hanmer Valley Shopping
Centre where he launched his monthly Finger Style Guitar Demonstration on
March 4, 2006.
Roger performed a wide variety of songs on his guitar from
1:00 p.m.
until about 3 p.m. He will be in the mall on the first Saturday of every
month at the same time and is inviting other guitar enthusiasts to join
him for an afternoon of “picking”.
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Dozens upon dozens of shoppers
stopped by to listen to Roger Chevrier playing his finger-style
guitar music on March 4. |
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Chevrier is a life-long
resident of
Valley East
who has a passion for music. He has two radio shows every week on the
Laurentian University station, CKLU which can be found by tuning in to
96.7 FM. Every Sunday from
10 a.m.
until
12 noon
he hosts a show called “Sitting Back Picking”. Tuesdays from
6
to
8 p.m.
he hosts a show called “Finger Style Guitar”. Both shows offer
listeners some excellent guitar music to relax to.
He was also the Musical
Director for the Valley Community Theatre, and coordinated the music for
the ‘Leader of the Pack’; ‘Grease’; and ‘Suds’.
The retired INCO worker is
hoping that these monthly sessions at the mall will generate more interest
in this kind of music. Roger knows that there are a lot of people who
enjoy guitar music, and he is looking forward to some exciting afternoons
at the mall. |
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Grandpa’s Girl
by Robert Kirwan
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It was a hot Saturday
afternoon when I stopped at the
Valley East
Cemetery
to update pictures for my web site at valleyeasttoday.ca. After taking a
few photos, I noticed three young girls sitting in front of a headstone.
My curiosity got the best of me so I went over and asked them what they
were doing. Little did I know that I was about to experience one of the
most touching ten minutes of my life.
Emly (spelled without an i)
McKibbon, the young 12 year old girl on the far left in the photo, was the
first to speak. “We’re visiting my Grandpa,” she said as she pointed
to the monument on which was engraved, John McKibbon 1936 – 1993.
Fifty-seven years old, I thought to myself. “Me and my step-sisters come
here often to fix the flowers and talk to him.”
Sonni, the oldest of the
three at 13, sitting in the middle, added, “Sometimes we just come here
and sit. It is pretty quiet and there are not usually too many people
around so it is peaceful.”
Rebecca, 12, sitting on
the right, said, “Sometimes we walk around and pick up papers and pop
cans that people leave around too. It is sad that some people leave the
place in a mess, but we don’t mind cleaning it up”
“I didn’t know my
Grandpa,” said Emly in a quiet voice. “He died when I was seven months
old. But my mom said that he always wanted to be around me and went
wherever my mom took me.” I spoke to her mother, Colleen, and she
confirmed that Emly was indeed, Grandpa’s Girl. “He was a wonderful
father,” she commented, “and he sure loved his granddaughter.”
During the conversation
with the girls I kept having visions of my own granddaughter who just
turned 12 months old on July 3. I thought about Grandpa John, a man who
was only two years older than myself. I know how I feel about my little
Hailee. I know how I feel when she stretches out her arms for me to hold
her and how I feel when people say that she is Grandpa’s girl. I looked
at Emly and told her, “Your Grandpa knew you, Emly. For those seven
months he knew you and he knew you loved him and that’s what is
important.” It was about thirty degrees outside that day, but there were
shivers going up and down my body as we spoke. I could sense that there
was someone else out there with us that afternoon.
I found out during our
conversation that one day last year these three young girls brought large
bundles of hand-picked flowers and put a flower on each headstone in the
cemetery. They looked so much at ease sitting on the grass, visiting
Grandpa John. Even though Sonni and Rebecca came into the family long
after John’s death, they still spoke about him as if they knew him.
As I pulled out of the
cemetery and headed along
Gravel Drive
, I noted that my allergies must have been bothering me, because my eyes
were a bit watery and my nose was running. It was hard to drive for a
couple of minutes. I knew that the next time I held Hailee in my arms I
was going to squeeze her a bit more tightly and hold her for a little
longer than usual.
I don’t think I ever met
John, but I feel I know him. He would be extremely proud of his
granddaughter. And I know he’s resting in peace knowing that Emly is
still Grandpa’s Girl.
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Shave For Hope Day Held At Pioneer Manor
To Raise Funds For Cancer Research |
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George
Fraser, Monique Grenon, Sadie Mantysaari, Therese Teahen, Chris Dupret
& Louise, Pioneer's Hairdresser all pose for a photo after they had
their heads shaved to raise funds for cancer research.
The event was
called, "Shave For Hope" and it was held on April 8, 2006.
Monique Grenon, a resident of Hanmer, was going to be the only one to take part in
the event, but she challenged some co-workers and they, being good sports,
joined in.
Monique is
shown in a before and after pose below: |
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MONIQUE
BEFORE: |
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MONIQUE
AFTER: |
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Monique
explained her motivation, "This was for a good cause and hair will
grow back. I did this in memory of my mother Leonne Raymond who passed
away in 1984 and for my grandfather Elzear Proulx who passed
away in 1980 they both died of cancer. Everyone else had their own reasons
for doing this."
Congratulations
to Monique and all of the people involved in this event for helping raise
awareness about the need for cancer research.
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