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WELCOME TO PAGE TWO
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2006 |
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“The
Mystery of Life…
A
Lot of Questions With No Answers…”
Editorial by Robert Kirwan
With
all of the recent school shootings in Canada and the
United States as well as the ever increasing pressure
and stress being experienced by virtually all age groups
in society, it is certainly no surprise that many people
are asking themselves a lot of serious questions about
life in general.
A number of years ago, when I was teaching at
St.
Anne
School
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one of the girls in my Grade 7 class, Stephanie Bennett,
wrote an essay that touched my heart and has remained
one of my all-time favourites, even though it was
written by a teen age girl as an English assignment. As
adults we often think that children are arrogant and
cocky, acting as if they
have all of the answers. In fact, they are usually the
complete opposite. They are the ones with many of the
questions. And the questions they ask are no different
from the ones that adults struggle with every day.
Stephanie’s
essay was entitled, “Losing Someone...” I think you
will find it very appropriate in light of what each of
us may be going through in our own lives right now.
Remember that she was writing this essay five years
after the incident.
“I
believe losing someone to death is the hardest thing a
person can endure. People think death is scary, which is
possibly true. I think dying in a hospital is the worst.
My Grandpa died in a hospital and watching my dad cry
was the hardest.
I was
seven but devastated. I remember when I used to take
candy from his candy dish. When he caught me he’d say
something like, “Don’t you like the black candy
babies?” I would say “yes” even though I don’t,
just to make him happy.
I
don’t understand life. When we die, do we go to Heaven
or Hell? How can the Lord judge someone by good or bad?
Some people live a meaningless life where they are
abused each day and slavery rules. Why would God want
people to suffer? Did I lead a previous life? Who is my
Guardian Angel? Are the apocalypse predictions true?
My Dad
and Grandpa were going to go on a ski trip to
Alaska
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but Grandpa had a stroke and couldn’t go. I plan, when
I’m older, to take my Dad before it’s too
late for him too. Life is a precious thing from God, and
we should live life to the fullest.”
I didn’t have any answers for Stephanie. I
could have given her many explanations and rationalize a
lot of what happens, but
when all is said and done the final conclusion will
still come down to the fact that no one really
understands life.
Why
do bad things happen to good people? Why do some people
suffer so much and other people go through life with no
problems or worries? Who decides? Is life all planned
out when we are born? Do we really have any control over
our own destiny?
Life
is a mystery. So it stands to reason that death would be
even more of a mystery. Stephanie is not the only one
with questions. We all have them. But I was impressed
that this young 12 year old girl was years ahead of
herself in terms of wisdom. She understood at a young
age that life is precious and that we should all live
life to the fullest. She also understood that if you
want to do something with a loved one, the earlier the
better. You never know when you will get a second
chance. Enjoy your skiing trip with your Dad, Stephanie.
I know he will love every minute of it.
We
must remember that there isn’t anything wrong with
asking questions about life. Without questions we would
never have an opportunity to think about answers, and we
would never have an opportunity to realize that life is
just one big mystery with no solution – it is merely a
journey full of surprises and many, many more questions.
We
should all take
Stephanie’s advice. Go on that skiing trip with your
parents. Plan that vacation with your children. Spend a
weekend away in a cabin alone with your husband or wife.
Send your wife a bouquet of flowers for no reason.
Don’t wait until it’s too late - you never know when
you’ll get that second chance.
Have
a good week!
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| ROBERT
KIRWAN'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT |
| For a
complete selection of stories and editorials that will
help you to reflect upon life's priorities, inspiring
you to take on the daily challenges you face very day... |
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| Fund-Raiser Will Be
Held On Sunday Oct 15 To Help Give Monique Laderoute A New Start |
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An open house is planned for Sunday, October 15, 2006
from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the St. Jacques Parish Hall to help get
Monique Laderoute and her two sons back on their feet and give them a new
start in life. If you have
donations of new household items such as bedding, utensils, kitchen and
bathroom items, etc. they would be greatly appreciated.
After spending the past 14 years living in Lebanon with
her husband, Sam Zoghbi, Monique Laderoute, second from the right in the
above photo, seemed to have it made. She and Sam had a great life. He was
doing very well in the restaurant business and she was developing a solid
reputation as a professional interior designer. And then around the middle
of July 2006, their world was turned upside down when Israel invaded Lebanon
and Monique was forced to flee from her home near Beirut and seek evacuation
back to Canada.
With their assets frozen in Lebanon, Monique and her
two teenaged boys were only able to bring one suitcase each out of the
country. The Laderoute's were able to secure space with 200 others on a
luxury casino yacht and eventually made it back to Valley East. "I
didn't even have enough money to make a phone call from the bus
station," recalls Monique. "But even though I have nothing and I
have to start out all over again on welfare with an empty apartment, I am so
grateful to have escaped with my sons. I'm back home now, and I will never
leave again."
Monique, who was born and raised in Valley East, is
the daughter of Ron and Susan Laderoute. Ron is on the far left in the photo
and Susan is on the far right. Her aunt Jean Somers, second from the left,
was described by Monique as "my lifeline".
Monique's husband remained back in Lebanon to protect
their property. If all goes well, he should be joining his family in Valley
East within a couple of months. In the meantime, the Laderoute's are in dire
straights and are turning to the kind people of Valley East for help.
Monique is looking for a job as an administrative
assistant, executive secretary, human resources officer, or other similar
positions. Thanks to Val and Violet Mazzuca, they now have a rental home in
Hanmer, close to family and friends, but they have absolutely nothing to put
in the house and are looking for a helping hand. This is where the true
Valley Spirit is expected to come forward and help put them back on their
feet.
All are welcome to the open house, including family,
friends and caring individuals. Please join the Laderoute's for coffee and a
bite to eat as Monique shares her experiences with you. There will be a door prize. Any support would be greatly appreciated. If
you require more information please contact Jean Somers at 969-2304.
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| The Ladies Auxiliary of Chevaliers du
Columb / Knights of Columbus Council #5005 Selling Tickets On A Major
Raffle In March |
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Lizette Gascon, President of the Ladies Auxiliary (Council 5005) of the
Knights of Columbus Council 5005 receives a helping hand from her husband as
she took her shift selling tickets on the major raffle which will be drawn
on March 25, 2007 at 4 p.m. at the main hall on Emily Street. First Prize is
$500; Second Prize is $200, and; Third Prize is $100. Tickets are being sold
for $1 each or 6 for $5. The proceeds will be used for charitable purposes
by the Council 5005. Shown below during their turn at the table are Alice
Savoie, on the left, and Diane Desjardins.
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Groceries For A Year Presented By
Desjardins' Food Basics As Part of Valley East Minor Baseball
Sponsorship |
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Garry Shyminsky, on the left, and Ken Desjardins, owner
of Desjardins' Food Basics in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre,
congratulate Patty Crites, the winner of the Valley East Minor Baseball
"Win Groceries for a Year" contest which was drawn on September
16, 2006. The Valley East Vipers Baseball teams would like to thank Ken
Desjardins and Desjardins' Food Basics for all the help and support this
past baseball season.
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 Fall
and Winter Programming
The Art Gallery of Sudbury on John Street has
several very interesting programs for children and adults starting up
this fall. Go to the main web site through the above link to see if
there is anything of interest that you may wish to take part in and
contact the administration at 675-4871. |
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Food
Banks of Valley East |
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| St. Vincent de Paul |
Good Neighbours |
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Open Monday to Friday
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
For general sales |
Open the last two Wednesdays of every
month
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For Food Bank and Clothing |
Food Bank
During the 3rd Week of every month
9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. |
Good Neighbours Food Bank no longer
distributes clothing. You will have to go to St. Vincent for
clothing. |
| Emergency Service Available |
Emergency Service is available by
calling the phone number below. |
| Located on Highway 69N at the top of
the hill in Val Caron |
Located on Lafontaine Street in
Hanmer. Enter the street off Hwy 69N |
| Provides services to residents living
in the 897- exchange |
Provides services to residents living
in the 969- exchange |
Phone Number
897-1212
Fax: 897-3338 |
Phone Number
566-1283 |
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St. Vincent de Paul
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Good Neighbours
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| Check Out The
Picks of the Month For October At Masciangelo Motors - Great
Deals Can Be Found Throughout The Entire Lot |
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 One of
the most popular features of the Masciangelo Motors web site has been the
Pick of the Month section.
Each month, Ron, Jeff, Tim and Jen select one vehicle they have on the
lot that they feel is one of the best on the lot.
According to Jeff, "It seems as if a lot of people go to that part
of the web site because once we list a vehicle as a Pick of the Month, it is
usually sold before the end of that month."
If you would like to check out the picks for September, simply follow
this link: Pick
of the Month
 For example,
Jeff's pick for the month of October is this great looking 2004 DODGE
RAM HEMI 4x4 with crew cab, 40,000 kilometers and fully loaded. It has had
only one owner!
Ron & Jeff continue to search out the auctions, both in person and
on-line to bring in the best deals possible. This means that many vehicles
are on and off the lot before you know it, so many people in the market
for pre-owned vehicles have developed the habit of dropping in for a look
on a regular basis.
You can still discuss the type of car or truck you would like to
purchase and have Ron & Jeff search out the continent for exactly what
you are looking for. The "Pick of the Month" section on their
web site also gives you an excellent overview of the kinds of vehicles you
can find on the lot.
If you want a
close up look at the latest on the lot, just drop in and see Ron, Jeff, Tim or Jennifer. Better
yet, go the link below and take a tour right from your computer.
You can find out much more by visiting the Masciangelo Motors web site
at www.masciangelomotors.com |
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| Nicole Brunet-Dandeno of Beswick Denture Clinic
Invites You To Drop By During Denture Awareness Month |
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October is Denture Awareness Month, and Beswick Denture Clinic
is inviting all denture-wearers to drop in for a free consultation and
mini-cleaning session all month long. In
addition, Nicole Brunet-Dandeno and Doug Beswick will be arranging for a
special display booth with plenty of information about dentures and the
services they provide through their practice. You can visit the display
outside the Beswick Denture Offices during the entire month of October.
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>>>> |
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 KOREA WAR VETERANS
The Korea Veterans Unit 19 Sudbury is always looking for
New Members and if there is anyone out there who served in the
Korean War we would be glad to welcome them into the Unit. Anyone
interested can call Harold Payne at 969-4367 or George Haskin at geeoh@sympatico.ca
522-0562.
The next meeting of the Korea Veterans is on 27 Sep 06 at
Branch 76 Royal Canadian Legion 1553 Weller St Sudbury
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ON THE LIGHTER SIDE |
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Joys of Jogging
1. For every mile you jog, you add one minute to your life.
This enables you, at the age of 85, to spend an additional five
months in a nursing home at $5,000/month
2. The only reason I took up jogging was to hear heavy breathing
again
3. I joined a health club last year, spending $400 in the process.
I haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to show up
4. I have to exercise early in the morning, before my brain figures
out what I'm doing
5. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who
annoy me
6. The advantage to exercising every day is that you die healthier
7. I have flabby thighs but fortunately my stomach covers them
8. If you are going to take up cross-country skiing, it helps to
start with a small country
9. I don't jog; it makes me spill my milk shake
10. Actually, I don't exercise at all. If we were meant to
touch our toes, we would have them farther up on our body
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The Millionaire....
This young lady was on "The Millionaire" show and
was doing well until she got to the last question.
The question was, "Which bird
does not build it's own nest, but instead lays its
eggs in the nests of other birds?
Is it, (A) the condor, (B)
the buzzard, (C) the cuckoo, or (D) the vulture?"
The woman was on the spot. She did
not know the answer. She had used up her 50/50 Lifeline and
her audience poll lifeline. All that remained was her
phone-a-friend lifeline. The woman's only friend
that would be home was Jenny, a blonde. She
called Jenny, gave her the question and the four choices.
The blonde responded unhesitatingly: "The answer is (C):
The cuckoo."
The contestant had to make a
decision and make it fast. She considered employing a
reverse strategy by giving Regis any answer except the one that
her friend had given her. And considering that her friend
was a blonde, that would seem to be the logical thing
to do. On the other hand, the blonde had responded with
such confidence, such certainty,
that the contestant could not help but be persuaded.
"I need an answer," said
Regis.
Crossing her fingers, the
contestant said, "C: The cuckoo."
"Is that your final
answer?" asked Regis.
"Yes, that is my final
answer."
Regis said, "I regret to
inform you that the answer is........absolutely correct.
You are now a millionaire!"
Three days later, the contestant
hosted a party for her family and friends, including
the blonde who had helped her win the million dollars. "Jenny,
I just do not know how to thank you," said the contestant. "Because of
you, I am now a millionaire. It was your
certainty that convinced me to go with your choice. How did
you know the right answer?"
"Oh, come on," said the
blonde. "Everybody knows that cuckoos don't build nests.
They live in clocks!"
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Groaners...
1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit? Unique Up On It.
2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit? Tame Way, Unique Up On It.
3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest? They Take
The Psycho Path
4. How Do You Get Holy Water? You Boil The Hell
Out Of It.
5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall? Dam!
6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid's
7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn't work? A Stick
8.. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn't Yours? Nacho
Cheese
9.. What Do You Call Santa's Helpers? Subordinate
Clauses.
10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand? Quattro
Sinko..
11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow? Spoiled Milk.
12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.
13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches? A
Nervous Wreck.
14. What's The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup? Anyone
Can Roast Beef.
15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs? Right Where
You Left Him.
16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils? Because They Have
Big Fingers.
17. Why Don't Blind People Like To Sky Dive? Because It
Scares The Dog.
18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic? Sanka.
19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover?
The Location
Of The Dirt Bag.
20. Why Did Pilgrims' Pants Always Fall Down? Because
They Wore Their
Belt Buckle On Their Hat.
21. What's The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver? A
Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang! A Bad
Skydiver Goes Dang! Whack.
22. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same?
Somebody's Gonna Lose A Trailer
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| Long
Distance Calling???? Interested in Voice Over Internet Technology??? Need Your
Computer Repaired??? |
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 Edgar
Lajambe, is a 30-year old life-long resident of Hanmer. His passion for
computers and information technology goes back to a high school co-op
placement he had in 1994 with a company called the AMS Group. When he
graduated from
St. Charles
College
he discovered that there were a lot of people who kept coming to him for
computer repairs and consulting, so he formed his own company, Valley
Computers & Consulting.
When
VoIP (Voice over Internet Technology) was first introduced to
Sudbury
, Edgar saw this as the future of communication and immediately jumped on
board; studying everything there is to know about the technology. As a
result, he formed another division of his company, called VCCNet.ca
Internet Solutions, which deals with long-distance discount calling and
the use of the internet for communication purposes.
Edgar
has joined forces with another locally owned firm, Infocom Canada Business
Consultants Inc. which operates Valley East Today, a marketing &
public relations company which publishes a community web site and weekly
online news magazine.
“The
cost of long distance calling has always been a detriment to people living
in the north,” Edgar explained when asked why he feels so strongly about
the communication services he now provides to the community. “I know so
many of my friends and acquaintances who have children or parents living
in other parts of
Ontario
. They would love the chance to talk to them more often by phone, but long
distance charges really cut into the budget; especially for seniors who
would love to talk to grandchildren, or parents who have children away at
university or college.”
“Once
people find out how easy it is to switch over to my plan, and they realize
that there is absolutely no risk or long-term commitment – that all they
get is the freedom to talk on the phone to anyone in Ontario for as long
as they want for one low price of $15.95 a month, they are sold,” Edgar
went on.
Edgar also repairs and programs
individual computers for both commercial and residential use. You can drop
in and see him at his office in the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre, or he
will come directly to your home or office.
Whatever
you are looking for, give Edgar a call at 670-4039 or you can go to his web site at www.vccnet.ca
and see how he can meet your needs.
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PREPARING FOR THE 2006 MUNICIPAL
ELECTION |
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The next municipal election for the City of Greater Sudbury will take place on
Tuesday, November 13, 2006.
A lot of things happen during a four-year term. Some
are good and some are bad. However, every decision that is made by our
municipal council has a direct impact on the lives of people living in
Valley East and Capreol.
It hoped that anyone who is
serious about standing for election will declare his/her intention as soon as
possible so that we have enough time to fully understand their individual
platforms.
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HANMER VALLEY SHOPPING CENTRE
PHONE: (705) 524-7006
www.kirwan.ca
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The
November 2006 Municipal Election Will Be All About Electing People
With Strong Leadership Skills |
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| When it comes to casting your vote in the November 2006
Municipal Election, your choice will pretty much depend on one thing and
one thing only. Who do you feel among the possible candidates possesses the strongest
leadership skills and therefore, who do you feel is best equipped to do
the job of representing you at City Hall?
For example, anyone can make promises, but not everyone is capable of
delivering on those promises. Sometimes it requires a great deal of
strategic thinking and positioning in order to accomplish specific goals.
Let's take, for example, the issue of the Barrydowne Extension.
A large number of residents of Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese, as
well as the residents of Val Caron, Blezard Valley, McCrea Heights and
Capreol also feel that a Barrydowne Extension highway would be beneficial
to the northern communities in the City of Greater Sudbury. It is easy for
a Councillor to stand behind this movement and demand that the rest of
Council approve such a major highway construction project.
However, a strong leader will look at the end goal and then work
backwards to see what has to be put in place in order to ensure the
Barrydowne Extension becomes a reality.
When you work from the 'End Goal' backwards, you see that in order to
be driving on a beautiful new four-lane highway linking Valley East to New
Sudbury, the following will have to exist:
- We will need to increase our population by about 5000 people in
order to justify the construction of a new highway to accommodate the
additional traffic load on our existing Hwy. 69N route.
In other words, it doesn't matter how many signatures you get on a
petition, nor does it matter how passionate a plea you make for the
construction of the highway, the existing traffic on Hwy 69 North
heading into Sudbury is not high enough to warrant the spending of
money on a new highway at the other end of the community. There are
times of the day when the traffic is heavy, but that traffic load must
be consistent all day long in order to convince the federal and
provincial governments to help fund the Barrydowne Extension.
In order to make the Barrydowne Extension highway a reality, the following will have to take place:
- We will need to have several senior apartment buildings and at least
one senior residential complex established in Valley East so that
seniors will be able to move out of their single family dwellings and
open up their houses for purchase by new families who cannot afford to
buy homes in the $300,000 range;
- We will need to facilitate the construction of approximately 300 -
400 new houses EACH year for the next five years This is a lot
of construction, but if we assume an occupancy of 3 people per new
home, this is only 900 to 1200 people per year. This means that we
must ensure that there are permits for approximately 1500 to 2000 new
houses pre-approved through the planning department;
- We will require many additional licensed day-care spaces for the young
families who will be anticipated to purchase these new homes. Without
adequate day-care spaces young families will not even consider
locating in this part of the region. The licensed day-care spaces are
needed in order for young families to receive subsidies to help pay
for this "necessity of life" for the 21st Century family;
- We will need to increase the water & sewer infrastructure in
Ward 6 in order to meet the new standards for home construction. Right
now, the infrastructure is restricting new development in some of the
older areas of the community of Hanmer. There is abundant space for
development, but the cost is prohibitive at this point until we can
increase the size of the "pipes in the ground";
- We will need to promote the Valley East Industrial Park in order to
bring new industry and jobs into the Valley East area. People like to
live close to where they work. The Valley East Industrial Park has a
lot of space available. As a council we should be encouraging
development in this Park because of its central proximity to all other
sectors of the City of Greater Sudbury;
- We will need to promote the industrial development of the East side
of the City of Greater Sudbury in order to create more jobs in that
part of the City so that people will be able to use the Barrydowne
Extension to get to work. This will create a further demand for
housing in the Valley and will place added pressure upon Council to
approve the construction of the new highway;
- We will need to convince the rest of City Council that the
Barrydowne Extension will eliminate the need for a Maley Drive
extension by virtually removing all traffic from Valley East from
Lasalle Blvd. If the Maley Drive Extension goes ahead as planned, it
will take over $32 million to complete. That will place a huge drain
on the road construction budget. The construction of the Barrydowne
Extension may accomplish the same goal at a fraction of the
cost.
- We will need to enhance our neighbourhood playgrounds and major
recreational facilities in order to attract new residents to Valley
East. This is an absolute no-brainer.
So, as you can clearly see, getting the Barrydowne Extension is not as
easy as simply trying to convince City Council to designate this project
as a top priority among road construction plans for the region. It will
require a whole new philosophy on the part of councillors with respect to where
residential development should be promoted, and thus requires a belief
that Valley East is the best place for this development.
In order to accomplish this big goal, all of the others must be done
first. That will take leadership and strategic planning.
When you cast your ballot on November 13, 2006, you will have to select
the person who you feel has the necessary skills to make all of the above
happen in order to accomplish your major objectives.
This applies to all major decisions that impact upon the residents of
Ward 6 - Hanmer & Val Therese. It is all a matter of leadership. That
is the question this time around. POOR LEADERSHIP LEADS TO POOR
DECISIONS Unfortunately, we can site too many examples of how
the 'Poor Leadership' qualities of the City Council in general has lead to
some pretty bad decisions during the past few years. Just recently for
example:
- Council has had a great deal of difficulty deciding on how to pay
for the rock tunnel project in the South End of the City. They have
reversed several decisions and it appears as if the rest of the
ratepayers will be paying for this project for the next 40 years;
- Council approved a construction project of $6 million for the
Kingsway from Falconbridge Road to the By-Pass. Funding from the
Provincial and Federal Government was obtained in the amount of $4
million for that project (based upon the fact that all three levels of
government were to split the cost equally). Between the time of the
approval and the time Council was to approve the final expenditure,
the cost had risen to $8.4 million. In addition, staff decided to add
enhancements to the project effectively raising the total cost to $13
million. Instead of sending staff back to the drawing board to find a
way of completing the project on budget, Councillors approved the
increased expenditure, thus accepting responsibility for $9 million of
the cost of a project that was originally pegged at $6 million. To add
insult to injury, only $1.1 million was budgeted for 2006, so the
remainder will be paid for in the 2007 and 2008 budgets, meaning that
if Robert Kirwan is elected, almost $8 million has already been spent
out of the road budget for the next two years.
- Council had to appoint a Community Solutions Team to survey the
residents of the outlying area in order to find out why they are so
dissatisfied with the current municipal government structure. With
seven members of the current council living in those outlying areas,
this was a blatant admission of poor leadership.
- The list is endless. This is why I say that the
"Leadership" issue is the most important one for the 2006
elections.
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CITY OF GREATER SUDBURY
OFFICIAL
ELECTION SITE |
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READERS MAY SUBMIT THEIR OWN
COMMENTS ON THE UPCOMING MUNICIPAL ELECTION BY CLICKING ON THE EMAIL
BUTTON BELOW
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WELCOME TO PAGE TWO
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2006 |
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