Murray River Bible school

-Murray River fire fighters Michael Higginbotham and Carri Ferguson showed their equipment to the kids at Murray River bible school on March 17.
By Charlotte MacAulay

Youth in Murray River had a lesson in fire safety from three Murray River fire fighters during March Break.
The Murray River Pentecostal Church held a week long bible school.
Pastor Scott Herring said the 60 kids participating spent the week doing activities centered around fire safety.
On March 17, fire fighters Dean Livingstone, Karri Ferguson and Michael Higginbotham were on hand with one of the departtment trucks.
The kids, ranging in ages from three to twelve, had a tour of the truck and got to see a hands on demonstration of some of the equipment they could expect to see if they were ever involved in a fire.
Mr Higginbotham demonstrated the fire fighter’s breathing apparatus while Ms Ferguson told the kids how important it is not to panic and to keep in mind the firefighters are there to help even though they look and sound strange with all the equipment on.
Mr Livingstone said the 27 member department does this type of presentation whenever they are asked.
Mr Herring said the fire department’s participantion really made the week special.
Thbible school is just one thing the church does to reach out to youth.
Mr. Herring said the church saw a need for activities for youth in the community, especially during the winter months.
A major renovation was done to a building already on the church’s property and it was christened ‘The youth barn.’
Games, music, activities with bible based values are all part of what goes on in the barn for the kids, said Mr Herring.

Knights spread community spirit

Charlotte MacAulay
The Reverend Edwin B. Steele Council of the Knights of Columbus is giving school kids a chance to speak out on drug and alcohol abuse.
Students in Souris from grades 3 to 12 will have from now until April 8 to submitt a poster that depicts the pitfalls of drug and alcohol abuse.
A panel of judges from the community will decide winners in each age group.
Council member Pat O’connor said this is the third annual poster contest.
“It’s good to get the kids thinking about the subject.”
The contest is a spin off of an international one the knights sponsor every year, but the Souris council elected to just do it locally and give monetary prizes to the winners in each age group said Mr O’Connor.
The Knights of Columbus is a catholic fraturnal organization with more that 1.7 million members worldwide.
The Souris council is 88 years old and currently has 85 members.
Members of this organization are catholic men over the age of 18 and the programs are centered around church, family and community.
Another way the council was involved in the community recently was a basketball freethrow competition for kids 8-14 years old held on March 9 in Souris. For twenty years the knights have sponsored this event with the objective of encouraging participation in sport.
Participants from Souris and Vernon River were on hand to show off their talent and six finallists will go to compete at the provincial level at Slemon Park on March 27.
Harbourview Training Center in Souris was a recipient of a $6,000 donation from the council.
The center is a non-profit organization located in Souris which provides vocational training, onsite employment and a host of support services to clients with intellectual disabilties who live in the Morell to East Point area.
Manager Judy Hennessey said the centre is now in the second phase of a major renovation that includes an addition so the wood workshop can be moved to a more accessible level.
The Knights showed a genuine interest in what goes on in their community when they attended a tour and presentation of what goes on at the centre, she said.
“They got to really see where their money is going and we appreciated their involvement.”
The donation is a part of the $90,000 the center has to raise as their contribution to the $224,000 project. Skills P.E.I. and the provincial government share the rest of the cost.
The Souris Knights of Columbus will be giving their own public presentation on March 21 from 5:30-7p.m. at the St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Souris when they hold an open house. This is a recruitment of sorts where potential members can come and see what the council is all about, said Mr O’Connor.
For more information call 687-2193

kings county chrysler

By Charlotte MacAulay

There have been many advances in the auto industry over the past 25 years and Kings County Chrysler has always kept up with those changes for it’s customers.
The newest piece of technology Islanders are looking for is the Bluetooth hands free device.
Since the law banning talking on cellphones while driving was put in place the end of January there has been a demand for the device said employee Derek Foote.
He said he has installed over a dozen units since the ban started.
It is a wireless system that clips on to the sunvisor. Because it has caller ID displayed right at eye level and a voice activated dialing system, customers have said it isn’t distracting.
The system can be installed in any vehicle, but has to be programed to a bluetooth phone.
Mr Foote is one of the 16 employees at Kingc County Chrysler who are availible to help customers with sales, parts and service.
They are located in Brudenell on Highway 319 just outside Montague.

Business gives back to the community

The heavy duty wrecker from George’s Deck & Recovery sports a picture of Tow Mater from the Disney movie Cars. They have a fleet of vehicles to meet all your towing needs.


By Charlotte MacAulay
From participating in local parades to sponsoring a curling tournament, George Branton, owner of George’s Deck and Recovery says it’s important to support the communities that support your business.
George’s Deck and Recovery hosts a yearly curling bonspeil for the Island under twelve teams. Mr Branton said he saw a need this for when his grandson Cody said they didn’t have a special event for the under twelve age group. The last one held in December 2009 at the Montague curling club was won by the Owen Collier rink from Montague.
“We saw an opportunity to give the kids something to play for.”
Last summer Mr Branton loaded up his big deck truck with a version of Tow Mater, the tow truck in the disney movie Cars and headed of to the various parades throughout the communities of Kings County.
“The kids thought it was the greatest thing,” he said.
George’s Deck & Recovery does business across the Island and the Maritimes. “You never know where you’ re going to end up if an Island trucker breaks down and needs to be towed home,” he said.
He has had to take his heavy duty wrecker as far as the N.B.-Quebec border to pick up a tractor trailer.
George, his son Stephen and son-in-law Brett MacDonald are all certified tow operators. They have the largest wrecker in Kings County. It was added to the fleet in September. The company is affiliated with CAA and all major car companies roadside assistance plans.
They are available all hour of the day or night and can tow anything from your family car to your company dump truck.

Southern Kings one step closer to a community care facility

By Charlotte MacAulay

An election promise made in 2007 is finally seeing the light of day, said secretary of local seniors committee.
Jim Evans said $10,000 provincial funding has been allocated to begin the planning stage of a project to bring a community care facility to southern Kings communities.
The facility will be located on a piece of land next to the old tennis courts in Murray Harbour donated by the Village, and will service communities from Wood Islands to Cambridge and all points south said Mr Evans.
This land is an ideal spot because it is on the line for the sewage system and within walking distance from the store, library and community centre he said.
A study done in 2007 by Atlantic? found there was a significant need in the area for this so a committee was formed and a business plan developed.
“We had some hoops to jump through to get here,” said Mr Evans.
The funding will allow the committee to hire an architect to make the building plans.
The facility will have 30 units, a common dining and sitting area for the residents as well as an outreach program for seniors in the area who aren’t ready to move out of their own home, but may need some services.
Mr Evans said an added benefit will be the full time jobs available for people in the community.
“Keeping the seniors might keep the young people as well.”
The South-East Seniors committee is now an incorporated body that will hold an annual general meeting on April 22 to vote in a board of directors to oversee the project. Any members of the public who wish to come to the meeting and have a vote must join before. For details on how to become a member call the Village office at 962-3835.
Mr Evans said the project couldn’t have been possible without the work of MLA for Belfast-Murray River, Charlie McGeoghegan,
Mr McGeoghegan found there was a need for senior care during his door to door campaign in the 2007 general election.
When first elected to the legislature he started the ball rolling and it will remain a priority for him until the building is complete and seniors are in residence he said.
“People want to stay where they spent their whole life if at all possible,” said Mr McGeoghegan.
He hopes the community will show their support for the project now that it is getting closer to a reality.

Flowers don’t smell so nice to some people

By Charlotte MacAulay

King County Memorial Hospital isn’t a scent free environment said emergency room patient.
Teri Morris, Pembrooke, said on a recent trip to the emergency room for an allergy reaction she had trouble getting flowers removed from the front desk.
Ms Morris said even though she called ahead, because she knew an encounter with flowers would make her symptoms worse, there were still flowers when she walked in the door.
For her it isn’t a mild allergy. When there are strong scents in the air around her, symptoms can be as bad as her throat swelling. The hospitals throughout PEI have signs that read scent free environment.
“ People just don’t realize that flowers fall into that group,” said Mr Morris.
“People need to be aware it’s a matter of life and breath for some of us,” she said.
She had to be put on a vaporizer for a half hour when she was finally seen at the hospital. Once she received medication she was on her way immediately.
“I moved fast to get out of the hospital before someone else came through the door wearing scents, and or/carrying flowers.”
Director of Corporate services for Health and Wellness, Glen Doyle said he can’t comment on specific cases. “There is a policy that has been in effect since 2002 that generally states the employer will provide as much as possible a scent free environment for staff and patients at all health care facilities in the province, Mr Doyle said.
All staff go through an orientation one how to regulate the policy. “Policing is sometimes a challenge and we have asked people to go home and change from time to time,” Mr Doyle said.
The only hospital in PEI that has added flowers to their policy is the Prince County Hospital, he said. A staff member had a severe reaction to the scent of flowers and now they have some kinds banned outright and the local flower shops are made aware of what can be brought in and where.
“It is becoming more and more of an issue these days,” Mr Doyle said.
The low scent policy they have in effect at Souris Hospital discourages the use of scented cleaning and laundry products said Edna Miller, director of nursing.
As far as visitors go they are informed of the policy if staff finds they are wearing a strong scent. “If a patient is in distress we have asked people to wash it off and people are usually quite okay with that.” Flowers are allowed in the hospital, but they are removed if the need arises.
Ms Morris said she has learned to adapt her life to avoid having a reaction, but when she does all she can and nobody listens it is disheartening.
Ruth Van Duiven, Montague, has to adjust her lifestyle to avoid scents a too. Ms Van Duiven has a scent allergy as well, but she said she is lucky her symptoms don’t get as severe.
Fresh flowers aren’t the only scented thing in the hospitals she said. The hand sanitizers are not scent free.
“I cope by bringing my own hand cleansers with me and I try to avoid places where I know scents will be strong.”
There are times when she can’t avoid it either. “If I go out in my back yard and someone close by is using a scented dryer sheet I have to go back inside”, she said.
If there were more fragrance free products available for people to chose then it would be easier for them to keep their scents down so the rest of us could breath a little easier she said.

Youth learns new skill

Teenager Cole Condon of Lower Montague enjoys going to school at night. That's because every Monday night the 13-year-old goes to fly-tying class.

He is just one of the many students taking advantage of the classes at the Montague community school.

After a two-year closure due to lack of organizers, it has started up again.

Chair David MacNearney said there have been a few hiccups, but for the most part the school is running smoothly.

There are 65-70 people registered in the nine classes being offered, MacNearney said.

When Merril Condon, Cole's grandfather, showed him the list of courses he saw fly-tying.

"I could take that," Cole thought.

Cole, who has been trout fishing for his 'whole life', said he received a fly-tying kit for Christmas two years ago and really liked it so when he saw the course being offered he was excited.

Cole said bait fishing is fun, but he likes fly-fishing the best.

"It's different cause you have to always keep it(the line) moving. You get a better workout. Your arms get pretty sore after a full day of fly fishing," he said.

Trout fishing season on P.E.I. is from April 15-Sept. 15. Cole can be found casting his line most days during the season.

On school days he doesn't start fishing til 4.p.m, but if there's no school his day on the water starts as early as 9:30 a.m. and he goes till dark.

Cole said a couple of good spots to go are Sutherlands Hole near Valleyfield and Whitlocks Dam near Upton.

He said he can still get his fishing fix even when his dad, Bradley , or grandfather, Merrill, can't drive him.

"I can walk or peddle bike to a couple of spots around here."

But there's one spot Cole wouldn't give directions to.

He said the biggest fish he caught, a seven pounder, was there and only he, his dad and grandfather know about it.

There was one day his dad caught a 14 pounder at the same spot he said.

Cole is happy to spend his Monday nights making flys in preparation for April 15.

There are 14 people who are spending their Monday nights learning tai chi, a martial art geared towards personal health and well being.

Instructor Michael Page said he is teaching the form that is the most common in China.

Another popular class is quilting. There is a mixture of experienced and new quilters in the group.

Other courses include armchair travel, computer, guitar and rug-braiding.

Cancer survivor says it's time to live life to the fullest

When he was 26 Shawn Campbell, formerly of Orwell, was living an active life not thinking his life was about to be turned upside down.

He began to lose weight and had little energy.

"One night I was lying in bed and I felt my neck and there was a lump there. That's when it started."

After a couple of tests doctors found out he had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

"I got the call on a Sunday evening from my family doctor about 9 p.m."

The next day Campbell went to see Dr. D. Dryer, an oncologist at the Queen Elizabeth hospital, and treatment was started right away.

Campbell said he felt only relief when he found out.

"I was expecting it. It was kind of a relief to know what it was and then we could battle it."

On the inside he was thinking "Why me?" but he didn't let that show. Only his determination to fight it came out.

He spent the next few months going through chemo treatments, surgeries and radiation therapy.

Campbell had his radar set to survival mode.

"I wanted to know all the facts and what I had to do to beat it. That's what I concentrated on. That's how I got through it."

His cancer has been in remission for seven years.

Campbell now lives and works in Charlottetown and is busy raising his three children Jordan, Avery and Jude.

According to news release from the Canadian Cancer society in 2009 stastistics show lymphoma is one of the most common cancers for young males. The death rates have decreased by 1.5 per cent , but there is still little known about what causes cancer in young people.

Campbell volunteers with the P.E.I. branch of the Canadian Cancer Society in the Cancer Connection program.

Barb Gibson, director of support serves with the P.E.I. branch , said the program started in Ontario in the mid 1990s and caught on nationally from there.

"It is a telephone peer support program."

Within two days of some one calling the support line they are matched with a trained volunteer who has gone through a similar crisis.

Because this is a phone program people can be matched from anywhere.

P.E.I. has 15 vounteers who particapate.

Being a volunteer allows him to help someone who is in the middle of their own cancer nightmare, by sharing his story and being a sounding board for them, said Campbell.

When someone in P.E.I. is first diagnosed with cancer they receive an information packet which contains a pamplet outlining all the support services offered to patients.

Anyone can get more information by going online to www.cancer.ca or by calling 566-4007.

Holland College student helps raise awareness about the Commonwealth

Mitchell Smith, Holland College Graphic Design student from Stratford, was this year's designer of the Commonwealth Day Poster.

The Royal Commonwealth Society of P.E.I. approaches the class every year with a challenge to make the poster.

This years theme was science, technology and society.

Smith, who admits science isn't his forte, used his creativity to disassemble a computer and photograph it. The photos served as a background for the poster.

Smith's version of the globe is imprinted on a CD and to incorporate the society he used strands of DNA.

The poster was used by the society to promote Commonwealth Day on March 8.

P.E.I. branch president Errol Monkley said 10 years ago a member came up with the idea to ask students at the Graphic Design department at Holland College to see if there was any interest .

The relationship still stands today and every year the society is pleased with the excellent work that comes out in the poster.

The Commonwealth is composed of 54 countries that come together to work for democracy.

Monkley said trade between the countries is an important element.

The P.E.I. branch was formed about 20 years ago and it's main focus is on raising funds for an annual bursary given out to a student attending UPEI who is from a Commonwealth country other than Canada. The award is usually $1000.

The branch has 80 members at present and in the past most have been recruited by word of mouth.

Monkley said anyone is welcome to join the society. Members come from all walks of life and while the bulk of members are from the greater Charlottetown area, the membership is made up of people from all across P.E.I.

Society member, Kep Holloway, said one third of the Commonwealth population is under 25.

Because of this growing trend it is all the more important for the society to promote projects that involve youth.

There were over 200 people on hand at the celebration of Commonwealth Day held at the Trinity United Church on March 8.

Smith said it was a good networking opportunity for him.

He is in his final year of the program and has done a lot of pro bono work throughout his studies.

That work has opened a lot of doors for him and with just two months to go, Smith said he has a good client list built up to start work on his own.