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N E W S & U P D A T E S
O C T O
B E R , 1 9 9 8
Costume winners at GTT Dress-Up Parade
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About 50 children had a wonderful time at the Children's Dress-Up Parade on September 19. Everyone seemed thrilled to participate in the parade over our recently-opened Sarnia Bridge portion of the Grand Trunk Trail. The weather was fabulous to enjoy the great panoramic view from on top of the bridge. The numerous treats were enjoyed by one and all.
Selections for best costumes were very difficult to make from the many fantastic costumes. The winners of the 12 gift packs/costume prizes were: Joe Edye, Bo Jackson, Hillery Damon, Joey and Michael Siddall, Spencer Westlake, Lars Dijk, Inge and Renee Dijk, Jonathan, Laura and Neil Barr, Hilda and Sarah Edye, Claire Thomas, Michael and Clair Scott, MacKayla Lewis.
On behalf
of the Grand Trunk Trail and the organizing committee of the Children's Dress-Up Parade, I
would like to thank the following companies, and organizations for their very generous
support (in alphabetical order): Arthur Meighen School, Bedford Photography,
Canadian Tire, Damen's Restaurant, Frenchies, Godfathers Pizza, Hearn's Dairy, Horizon
Poultry, Hubbard Pharmacy, Hunter Stationery, Jackson's Pharmacy, Jonathan Todd's, Journal
Argus, M&M Variety, Mark Fletcher, McCully's Hill Farm, Optimist Club, Pathway Ice
Cream, Ryan's Korner Mini Putt, Sam's Home Hardware, Shamporium, Staffen's, St. Marys
Rentals, Stonetown Books, Stonetown Cycle, Stonetown Foods, Stonetown Rentals, Tim
Hortons, UNeed a Discount and Van Galen Photography.
I would like to thank all the volunteers that came out to help that day; they helped make it a great success. I would like to especially thank the Parade sub-committee that dedicated so much time to this event: Elizabeth Prest, Mary Anne Betteridge, Julie Robson and Patti Donnelly.
Yours
sincerely,
Pamela Zabel
Grand Trunk Trail committee
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The Grand Trunk Trail Project Report is now available online courtesy Aqua Terra. |
Wednesday, September 28th, 1998
Golf cart tours to Sarnia Bridge enjoyed
Doing the Trail in
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Can I tell you how great it is to be part of a "feel good" event? The Grand Trunk Trail committee organized a three day event during which the Trail became accessible to folks who would otherwise not have been able to see what all the recent publicity has been about. This event was made possible because of the efforts of a lot of people.
The idea came from information I received that an elderly woman, who lives very close to the Trail, just couldn't walk far enough to be able to see the view from the Sarnia Bridge. Several phone calls later, I had seven golf carts, seven volunteer drivers and a list of people who would like to see what the GTT committee has been working on for over two years.
Rick Fifield of St. Marys Golf and Country Club was the first to say, "Yes." Two carts were available for use on two of the three days. "They'll be here waiting for you, Carol."
Brent Cubberley of Canadian Cart Sales offered two carts to start and finished with lending five of them on the last two days. In addition, he arranged to use his truck and trailer to deliver all carts to the Wellington Street access to the Trail at 9:15 am and retrieve them at 3 pm on all three days. Brent and Ryan proved to be most faithful in fulfilling their offer. Many thanks to the Canadian Cart Sales team for making Golf Cart Day work.
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Vic Hearn brought his own cart on the greatest little trailer-its design is brilliant in its simplicity. He drove his cart for two days. Bernice Metcalfe loaned her cart for us to use on two days. Shirl Woods drove it like an expert.
All loans of carts meant the fuel/batteries were donated as well.
Sue Fowler of the Friendship Centre for St. Marys Area Seniors was instrumental in getting word of the event out to those she knows. She organized volunteer drivers to pick up seniors from their homes; she contacted Vic and Bernice to ask them about the loan of their carts and probably several others things I don't know about.
Special thanks goes to Terry Todd who, by virtue of being married to the organizer, helped tremendously on Day One of the event. He was on holidays and spent one morning making ramps out of sheets of plywood and two-by-fours for the ends of the Bridges. He placed lawn chairs on the Bridge so that the seniors could have a place to sit while they enjoyed the view. He did all this by 9:30 am. Then he drove a cart all day and he helped me clean up at the end of the day. He's a great guy, isn't he.
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Lots of other people volunteered to drive: Val Tkaczuk, Jackie and Neville Kirkman, Gloria Robinson, Liz Jeffery, Mary Arthur, Pat Rolston, Will Taylor and GTT committee members, Heather Goad, Julie Robson and Jean Hewitt. All these people shuttled our seniors along the Trail, giving them information about the project, personalized attention and a lot of tender loving care. The smiles on the faces of the riders and the drivers was gratifying. I believe that everyone had a great time. Thanks go to everyone who made these days wonderfully successful.
Health
Night
The next Grand Trunk Trail event will be our "Health Night" on Tuesday,
October 20 at the Friendship Centre. The evening will begin at 7 pm and have, as
a program, several speakers on health-related disciplines such as physiotherapy,
aromatherapy, reflexology, kinesiology and nutrition. There will be desserts
provided by Smith & Latham, the Stone Willow Inn, the Westover Inn and Irene Felkar
and coffee donated by Tim Horton's. Door prizes will also be part of the evening's
offerings. Tickets are available at the Friendship Centre, Joanne Campbell's
Reflexology, Julia Armstrong's Physiotherapy office, Guardian Drugs, Stonetown Books and
Stratford Optimal Health Centre. Tickets are $20. All proceeds will go to the
continued work on the Grand Trunk Trail.
Carol R-T
Reprinted from the St. Marys Journal-Argus, Wed. September 28, 1998
