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Life goes on for Lorna Van Horne
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
MANITOWANING - For Lorna Van Horne, life
as a millionaire lasted about two days. "I'm not a millionaire
anymore," she chuckled nearly a week and a half after she discovered
she had won $1 million on an Ontario Instant Millions ticket.
Mrs. Van Horne, who is 71, purchased the ticket at the Manitowaning
Guardian Pharmacy on Saturday, February 15, while shopping for
a gluestick for bingo night in Sheguiandah. On a hunch she bought
a scratch ticket, and when that netted her $5, she decided to
purchase another. The second ticket was the big one. Not only
that, but she also won another $150 at bingo. Mrs. Van Horne
took a free ride in a limousine to Toronto for a promotion for
Nite Lite limousine service. The limousine was nice, she suggested,
because she did not have to worry about where to park. "We tipped
him well," she laughed. After picking up her millon dollar cheque,
she returned home, payed a visit to the bank, and got on with
life as usual. "I wrote a lot of cheques for kids and grandkids,"
she said. "That took care of a lot of it." She said sometimes
she has to stop to think that she had even won the lottery.
The children and the grandchildren were the ones who were really
excited about it, she added. "Life goes on," she said. "I'm
just a little bit better off financially."
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Amazing double golds for Canada
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
CANADA - Who is questioning Canadian hockey
now, eh? Two... count 'em... two Olympic gold medals in hockey
in the span of one week, and 50 years of Olympic hockey disappointment
was washed away as Canada's women's team finally overcame their
American counterparts with a 3-2 win for gold, followed a scant
three days later by the Canadian men's victory over our southern
neighbours. It makes you proud, doesn't it. "It teared my eyes
when they played the national anthem. I stood at attention in
my living room," commented Harold Dewar. "It was a very emotional
game. It was one of the biggest experiences since (Paul) Henderson
scored the winning goal (in the 1972 summit series in Moscow)."
Mr. Dewar, who proudly displayed his Team Canada Olympic scarf,
suggested the game brought the country together at a time when
it really needed it. He added the women's victory was one of
the best hockey games he has ever seen. "It was incredible,"
said Peter Kategiannis. "I'm not sure it was the best victory
of all time, but it certainly was sweet." Mr. Kategiannis suggested
people have made too big a deal of the fact that Canada hasn't
won the medal in 50 years. He pointed out Canada hasn't been
allowed to ice its best players in the last 50 years. "What
can you say? It was huge," he said. "They owned it." "It was
inspirational," suggested Jim Stringer. "It was an excellent
game." Mr. Stringer added the fact that it was played on an
International ice surface, which is larger than what most National
Hockey League (NHL) players are accustomed to, made the game
even more interesting because there was even more focus on the
hockey and the skating. Ontario Premier Mike Harris was also
reminded of yester year as he watched the Canadian men skate
to victory. "As I was watching (the) game, I was reminded of
the 1972 summit series that I attended in Russia. Today's golden
performance takes me back to Paul Henderson's last-minute goal
in Moscow. Thirty years later, and Canada is still number one
in the world," the premier commented. Few places on the Island
had hockey fever as bad as the case which struck the Anchor
Bar and Grill in Little Current. With the bar decked out in
red and white streamers and Canadian balloons, and the patrons
armed with waving flags and miniature hockey sticks, few were
as well prepared to celebrate Canadian hockey. "There was a
lot of stick banging, hooting and hollering," said proprietor
Kelly O'Hare. "It was a proud Canadian moment." And when Canada
finally won, as the national anthem blared from the television,
everyone in the bar proudly sang alongside. But the Anchor's
case of Olympic hockey fever began even before the gold medal
round. While the rest of the Island sat frustrated in their
living rooms, cursing at the power outage which interrupted
Canada's quarter-final game against Finland last Wednesday,
those traveling in downtown Little Current found their ray of
hope. Only three lights could be spotted on all of Water Street,
each delivering a message: 'Open,' 'Molson's' and 'Labatt's.'
Indeed, the hockey faithful at the Anchor Inn, led by owners
Bruce O'Hare and Rob Norris, broke out the generators. Using
a flashlight to find the hole in which to pour the gas, the
Anchor faithful fired up the generators, which was enough to
power the big screen and the television sets, the neon signs
and not much else. "It was really great," Mrs. O'Hare laughed.
In fact, to commemorate Canada's two gold medal victories, the
Anchor is introducing a new menu item: the All Canadian Burger
Platter, which includes Canadian back-bacon, Canadian cheddar
and a side of poutine. Expositor staffer Tammy Albers was taken
aback by the reaction to Canada's victories. She and some friends
were at the Anchor on Thursday evening as the women battled
for gold with their American counterparts. When they finally
won, the bar erupted in emotion. One of her friends began to
cry. When Mrs. Albers asked her why, she received a strange
look. "You're not a Canadian," her friend said. "I just wondered
why people were all worked up," Mrs. Albers confessed. "I truly
did not know (on Sunday) that the game was on. I hate the Olympics
and I hate hockey." Mrs. Albers added her friend now intends
to make her a T-shirt, which will read 'I'm Not A Canadian,
Eh.' At the M'Chigeeng Arena, participants in the Women's B
division final of the 14th Annual Ense Hare Memorial Hockey
Tournament were hard pressed to garner a crowd larger than those
few who felt too guilty to miss their loved ones' game. But
if those few became hungry at all, they would have been hard
pressed to reach the snack counter, as a large throng of people
gathered under the single television set in the lobby, all eyes
trained on the game. Good luck getting any of them to move,
as they might lose their prized sightlines. And as Joe Sakic
netted Canada's fifth goal of the game, the silence was ripped
apart by a roar of excitement. Canada had scored again. So whether
it was the greatest victory in Canadian hockey history or not,
Canada's proud hockey tradition has once again brought its country
together to deliver one firm message: Nobody plays hockey like
Canada plays hockey.
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CMPS
kindergartens learning to empathize
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by Neil Zacharjewicz
MINDEMOYA - The kindergarten class at Central
Manitoulin Public School (CMPS) is participating in a new pilot
project. It's called 'Roots of Empathy,' and the program is
designed to help children become more empathetic by studying
the development of a baby. "They learn all about how babies
learn and express themselves," suggested Doreen Duncanson, who
along with her colleague Melanie De Chatauvert, teaches the
kindergarten classes taking part in the program. Jim Griffin
is the volunteer instructor of the Roots of Empathy program
at CMPS. A former school principal, Mr. Griffin, who now resides
in Manitowaning, first became involved with the program when
his daughter, a teacher in Manitowaning, brought home a flyer
for volunteers. "It was something I thought I would do to help
out in the world," Mr. Griffin said, in light of the fact the
program was brought to his attention on the heels of the September
11th tragedy. He pointed out the intent of the program is to
counter all of the violence children see on television, read
in the comics, witness in the media, and are exposed to in sports.
Instead, children are exposed to a loving relationship between
a family with a baby, in this case the family of Darren Dewar
and Irene Musquetier and baby Abby. Mr. Griffin explained that
usually in the program, the students only get to meet the mother
and the baby, but in this case, Mr. Dewar is coming along. This
is good, he said, because it gives the students the opportunity
to see a father in a nurturing role. "Men traditionally are
not really perceived as nurturing types," Mr. Griffin said.
The program is composed of nine visits by the family, each with
a different theme. Mr. Griffin explained the present class will
only receive seven visits, as the program was only started in
January. Mr. Griffin also visits the classroom for a visit prior
to and after each visit by the family. The themes for each visit
revolve around such topics as crying, infant development, and
caring and planning for the baby. The key to the program is
to help the students to develop "a literacy of emotions," by
examining the ways in which a baby communicates. Mr. Griffin
suggested there is a direct inverse relationship between understanding
the emotions of other people and violence. Once children understand
why people feel the way they do, it helps to decrease violence.
The Roots of Empathy program was first brought into the classroom
by Mary Gordon, a teacher in Southern Ontario, in 1996. Today,
approximately 183 classes in Southern Ontario take part in the
program. "Manitoulin and the Rainbow District School Board are
the first to offer it in Northern Ontario," Mr. Griffin explained.
The program, he pointed out, is actually a parenting program,
and it is an excellent program because it teaches the students
good parenting. "The kids have been great. They like having
the baby there," Mr. Griffin suggested. "It is a little tougher
(conducting the visits) without the baby there. They are just
so gentle with her. They realize a little baby has emotions
and feelings." "They love it," added Mrs. Duncanson. "There
is so much actual learning with it." Mrs. Duncanson noted the
program begins in kindergarten, but will continue with the students
until they reach Grade Eight. "I think our problem is going
to be getting a baby for each group of children," she remarked.
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