The Westend WeeklyBox 66, 303 Fifth St., Rainy River, ON P0W 1L0 Ph. 807­852­3815, Email. westendweekly@tbaytel.net

Vol. 27, No. 13 Wednesday, August 30, 2017Serving the Rainy River District for way over 26 years! Read us on line at www.westendweekly.ca.

Talent galore at Rainy River Art Festival

This truck is a 1950 Chev & was purchased by Garnett& Vivian Neilson in Stratton. It was used as a main ve­hicle until the family outgrew it. It was then used as afarm truck for many years with all the children learn­ing to drive on it, out in the fields. When Neilson's soldthe farm, it was given to Wayne & Betty Salchert &spent a few years at Mud Lake City. It was not possibleto restore it & make it roadworthy, so when we movedsouth of Devlin, we parked it at the end of the drive­way & used it as a planter: Flowers to start, but maybesomething edible next year.

Anything canbe beautiful

The first annual Rainy River Art Festival took place on Sunday at Hannam Park. Lisa Barrett, one of the organ­izers, said they were really appreciative of those who came. “They really had fun and stayed the whole day.”They were entertained by some really incredible local talent and there were vendors to browse through as well.It was an afternoon to enjoy with friends and family and everything offered was received by a very enthusiasticaudience.

Myrna Armstrong and Elaine Clifford manned the do­nation table. Freewill offerings will go toward thepurchase of new park equipment. On the list arepieces that will be handicapped accessible as well assome outdoor exercise equipment for seniors. One ofthe pictures on display shows a climbing rock.

Paster Kors Pater provided all of the sound equip­ment. He is a skilled sound technician and troubleshooter. The equipment was donated for use by theEvangelical Church.

The Pater family is a very musical family. From left,Kors wife Heather and their children Kayla, Aiden andTyler entertained.

For those, like me (Jacquie), who enjoy a hearty andnutricious lunch, The Fudge Guy was on hand to serveup cotton candy and his selection of fudge.

The Chirpy Chicks, from L. Jeanette Armstrong, JanetSchaaf, Donna McDonald, Dawn Jarvis, Charleen Gun­derson, Jessie Bodnarchuk, Myrna Armstrong andElsie Gerula performed a tribute to the hippy era.They are not just good singers, they are very funny!

Vaughn Murray is famous for his Elvis inpersonationbut on this occasion he entertained the audience withhis country repertoire and well as a couple of the oldclassics.

Chad Armstrong was awesome according to Lisa. Hisgreat raspy unique voice and accomplished guitarwork were a joy to listen to.

Natalie Copenace Kelly is only 12 but what a voice!She comes from a musical family as well and whenshe finished her grandfather took over the mic.

Jackson Irish stopped by on his way to college inThunder Bay. He surprised everyone with the beauti­ful baritone warmth of his voice.

Page 2, The Westend Weekly, August 30, 2017

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Home * Auto * Commercial * Trucking * Farm

Mary Helen Marmus  Mary Helen Marmus (nee

Olinyk) 100 years of RainyRiver, Ontario passed awaypeacefully at hospital, withher family at her side onAugust 21, 2017.

A funeral Mass was heldon August 25, 2017, at 11:30a.m. at Our Lady of GoodCounsel in Rainy River, On­tario with Father AlanAlbao officiating. Burialtook place inForest LawnCemetery.

Mary was born Septem­ber 18, 1916 at Rainy Riverto John and Effie Olinyk.She had one sister Blanche(Bernier) and five brothersCharles O’Laney, AdamOlinyk, Stanley O’Laney,Clarence Olinyk andMichael Olinyk. She waspredeceased by her par­ents and her five brothers.

Mary lived in Rainy Riverher whole life. She wasmarried to Bill Marmus andthey were blessed with fourchildren, Janette Roy ,William (Bill) Jr., DonnaDalseg and Timothy Mar­mus.

Her husband Bill passedaway suddenly in 1956.

Mary has eleven grand­children, twenty­two greatgrandchildren and threegreat great­grandchildren.

She worked on the familyfarm with her husband andchildren during her earlieryears and continued to doso for a number of yearsafter her husband’s pass­ing.

In 1963 she went into theclothing business whereshe owned and operatedthe Quality Clothing storefor many years.

Mary was a member ofthe Catholic Woman’sLeague, the Royal Cana­dian Legion Auxiliary, andthe Agricultural Society.She enjoyed cooking andteaching others to cook,gardening, curling butmost of all she spent somuch of her precious timewatching, guiding and car­ing for her family as theygrew up, one generation

after the other. And, shestill had time for the shut­ins by serving meals onwheels.

Mary lived in her mobilehome on Second Streetuntil she was in her 100thyear when she moved intothe Riverview Manor whereshe needed assisted living.

It was only until lastmonth when Mary movedinto the extended living ac­commodation at the RainyRiver Hospital.

Mary is survived by sonsBill Marmus (Sharon), TimMarmus (Giselle), anddaughters Janette Roy(Marty) and Donna Dalseg(Colin).

The family would like tothank the doctors, nurses,and all the care givers bothat hospital and assisted liv­ing for the care provided totheir mother. Thank you somuch!

If desired, memorial do­nations may be made inMary’s memory to theRainy River Hospital Auxil­iary or to a charity of yourchoice c/o Northridge Fu­neral Home, Box 89, Emo,ON, POW 1EO. Onlinecondolences may be of­fered at www.northridge­funeralhome.com.

passingspassingsMoos by Kim Jo BlissI am sure hoping that

summer returns soon….Like we always say; “oncethe Emo Fair is over fall re­turns!” That certainly heldtrue this year. It was achilly week and I even hadto break down and wearsome long pants. It soundslike this week will be betterand I certainly hope so. Weneed some sunshine to getback on our combine. Wealso had a breakdown andit was too complicated forus to fix! We are hoping itis ready today and we willbe tackling the Oat Trials.We combined a lot of bar­ley last week and thingswent quite well. I have mystudents this week so themore we can accomplishthe better it will be for me.Last week we had a frost –actually it was one forabout 2 hours. This is notgood for the corn or thesoybeans. The soybeansare certainly close to drop­ping leaves but I think thiswill affect our yields. Ce­real grains are coming offwith great yields so this isgood, not sure we will seegreat yields in the beansnow.

We held a very successfulCattle Sale this weekend.We sold 611 head for$821,048.80. Prices werequite strong and I wouldthink most producerswould have been pleased.It was great that we hadsome large lots of cattleand this made the sale runrather quickly. I was actu­ally home by 4:30 pm – myfamily thought I was sick orsomething to be home thatearly. We were tight onstaff but everyone workedharder and got by. Ournext Sale is September30th, 2017 – be sure to getin touch with James if youhave cattle or you would beinterested in working.

The pastures are actuallyreally showing signs of thedry conditions. Cattle tendto be looking for greenergrass right now so if youare going to have cattlegetting out on you this isthe time it happens. Ifenced off the regrowth atNanny’s place yesterdayand let that group of cowsout there. I need them tobe happy for anothermonth and then I will moveeveryone home and get

ready to wean calves.Sheep are the same – Ihave one ewe that puts herhead down and runs fastthrough the electric fence.I think I should tie some­thing heavy to her. I plan totake the lambs off of themthis week – maybe this willmake her behave better.There is not many thingsmore frustrating that youranimals not respectingtheir fence.

Don’t forget about “Lay­ing Pipe in the Fight” hap­pening on September 9thin Pinewood. This is whenBrielmann Ag, Tait BrothersContracting, and PrinscoCanada have teamed up toinstall pink tile drainageand make a sizeable dona­tion to the Canadian BreastCancer Foundation. Theevent will happen from 11am – 4 pm. We are alsotaking our Catch the AceLottery to the event so youwill want to join in on allthe fun!!! We sold out thislast week at the Cattle Sale!We are now into Week 16!The progressive pot thisweek will be at $8500. Joinin the fun ­­­ $2.00 perticket.

Perhaps you sent alovely card

Or sat quietly in a chair,Perhaps you sent a floral

pieceIf so we saw it there,Perhaps you spoke the

kindest wordsAs any friend could say,Perhaps you were not

there at allJust thought of us that

day,Whatever you did to

console our heartsWe thank you so much

whatever the part.Sincerely the family ofJohn vanden Brand Sr.

Charles “Sjouke” BymaEarly Monday morning,

August 28, 2017 at Rainy­crest Long Term Care inFort Frances, ON, with hisfamily by his side, CharlieByma (95) went to be withhis Lord & Saviour.

Charlie was born on Feb­ruary 8, 1922 in TheNetherlands to Siebe &Berber Byma. He wasunited in marriage to RitaRoersma on June 18, 1947.They immigrated toCanada along with theirdaughter Ann in 1948, set­tling in Manitoba. Theymoved to the Rainy RiverDistrict in 1952, purchasinga farm on Ducharme Rd inCrozier, where they re­mained until retirement.

Charlie had a great lovefor farming and traveling,and was a valued memberof the Christian ReformedChurch.

He will be lovingly re­membered by his childrenAnn Breukelman of Ab­botsford, BC, Sidney(Marie Claire) of Edmon­ton, AB, Louis (Darlene) ofFort Frances, ON, Betty(Harm) Hazeu of Winnipeg,MB, Jame (Cheryle) ofStony Plain, AB, Daniel(Rose) of Chestermere, ABand Elizabeth (George)Gercama of Winnipeg, MB.He will be greatly missed

by his many grandchildren,great grandchildren andgreat great grandchildren.

Charlie is also survived bytwo brothers Jake andBartele and his sister Tina(Henk) Borren.

Charlie was predeceasedby his wife, Rita, his sevensiblings, son in law AlbertBreukelman, granddaugh­ter Nancy, great grandsonSamuel and numerous ex­tended family members.

Dad loved farming andstarted off with a few acresof potatoes growing to 30acres in a few years. Dadadded milk cows to hisfarming and stopped thepotatoes but also startedworking at the LaVerendrye Hospital as anambulance driver thenmoving to the mainte­nance department.

After retirement, he win­

tered in Tucson, Arizonawith Rita for more than 20years. With the passing ofRita on April 8, 2012 and hisfailing health he wasmoved to Rainycrest LongTerm Care in January of2013. Charlie enjoyed thevariety of activities inRainycrest. He especiallyenjoyed the Wednesdayand Sunday chapel serv­ices. He appreciated allthose who came to visit,but when the cafeteriadoors opened, it was timeto eat.

Charlie's faith in the Lordremained strong to theend.

Visitation will be held atthe Northridge FuneralHome, Emo, ON, on Thurs­day August 31, 2017 from 7­9 p.m. Funeral services willbe held on Friday Septem­ber 1, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. atthe Emo Christian Re­formed Church, with Pas­tor John Vanderburghofficiating. Interment willtake place in Emo Ceme­tery.

If desired memorial dona­tions may be made to thecharity of your choice, c/oNorthridge Funeral Home,Box 89 Emo, ON P0W 1E0.Online condolences maybe offered at www.north­ridgefuneralhome.com

Legion ChatLegion Chat by Walter Wagner, Major Hughes Br. 54 president

Breaking News: Local authors gain national recognition

Bob and Frank Durnin,co­authors of I CALL MY­SELF A PROSPECTOR,proudly announce that anexcerpt from Book One isincluded in the Sept 3 edi­tion of HARROWSMITHALMANAC.

A www.coreshack.comspokesman states: Thisgives our books credibilityand exposure across

Canada. Harrowsmith is awell­respected publicationand they may continue toprint excerpts in subse­quent editions. They don’tpay us for these excerptsbut we are used to that –neither does JacquieDufresne.

Frank and I wish to thankour friends for their localsupport. Thanks also to

Bettys of FortFrances,Tompkins Hard­ware in Emo, Country Cor­ner Café in Stratton andboth Beaver Mills andRainy River Pharmacy inRainy River. Special thanksto Jacquie at WestendWeekly and Jules Torti atHarrowsmith. We love youall.

Quilts for local veterans

By Marjorie StintziFour Rainy River War Vet­

erans are the latest recipi­ents of quilts from Quiltsfor Valour. The quilts aremade and put together bylocal representatives Hu­bert Meyers, a VietnamVeteran, and Wilna Meyersof Fort Frances. Originallyintended for wounded vet­erans, the quilts are beinggiven to veterans in the dis­

trict who served overseasduring a war. Les Ivall andWilliam Almers, who bothserved in Europe during theSecond World War andTerry Cooper and HarryArnould who both servedin Korea during the KoreanWar, received their quiltson August 18th. Also in at­tendance at the three pre­sentations were RainyRiver Legion President

Walter Wagner and ServiceOfficer Marjorie Stintzi.

Since their arrival in FortFrances about a year ago,they have presented 20quilts to area veterans. TheMeyers retired here fromEdmonton, Alberta, wherethey first got involved withQuilts for Valour andworked for the Canadianfounder of the organiza­tion. The couple emigratedfrom Holland to Canada inthe early 70s.

Quilts of Valour presentation at the Rainy River Legion. L to R, Legion presidentWalter Wagner, Hubert Meyers of Quilts of Valour Fort Frances, Second World Warcombat veterans William Almers and Les Ivall of Rainy River, Wilna Meyersof Quilts of Valour Fort Frances

It is with great sadnessthe family announces thepassing of William “Bill”Korchak of Pinewood, On­tario on Sunday August 27,2017 after a courageousbattle with cancer.

Bill was born on June 9,1935 in Vita, MB to parentsMetro and Mary Korchak.As a young man, Bill helpedhis parents run a largeturkey farm, and operateda small business with hisbrother Boris in Vita, Mani­toba, and was employed atthe Chrysler Corporation inDetroit, Michigan. He metthe love of his life, RachelArpin, at his brother’s wed­ding. On January 10, 1970Bill and Rachel were mar­ried in Pinewood. Whilemanaging the farm withRachel, Bill led a successfulcareer as ajourneyman/electrician.On December 18, 1974,along came their pride andjoy, a son, Kevin. Many oc­cupations and talents werea part of his life includingrunning his own loggingcompany, as well as beinga hands on mechanic. Thistrade was proudly passedon to his son. One pastimethat Bill enjoyed in recent

years was going to theStratton Men’s and theDawson Women’s Fastballgames.

Bill was predeceased byhis parents Metro,andMary Korchak, his brotherBoris, his infant nephewRichard and his in­lawsLarry and Sophie Arpin.

He will be greatly missedby his wife Rachel (Arpin)of 47 years, his son Kevin,daughter­in­law Jenniferand his two preciousgranddaughters Isabell andSamantha of Sylvan Lake,Alberta. Bill is also survivedby his sister in law Josie Ko­rchak, nephew Dwayne(Kaela) Korchak, as well asnumerous in laws, niecesand nephews.

Visitation will be heldon Wednesday August 30,2017 from 6 to 7 p.m. at theNorthridge Funeral Home,Emo, ON followed by a fu­neral mass at Our Lady ofthe Way Catholic Church inPinewood on Thursday, Au­gust 31, 2017 at 11 a.m

Pallbearers: Dwayne Kor­chak, Zach Korchak, KenKorchak, Brian Korchak,Wayne Korchak, NormanBednar, Jackson Arpin.

Honourary Pallbearers:Jarvis and Elsie Korchak,Josie Korchak, Jessica Kor­chak, Kaela Korchak,Elaine Lilley, Skylar Arpin,Hayley Arpin, JoanneSwire, Ruby Fitch, Willyand Olga Waskul

Interment will take placein Our Lady of the WayCatholic Cemetery at alater date. If desired, me­morial donations may bemade to the War Amps, c/oNorthridge Funeral Home,Box 89, Emo, Ontario, P0W1E0 in Bill’s memory.

Remembering you iseasy,

We do it every day.Missing you is a

heartache,That never goes away.

William Michael Korchak

It feels like Fall­the daysare shorter, nights arecooler and the kids areback in school. The first Fri­day of the month meansChinese food for the meat

draw.The Royals annual $1

000.00 Dance takes placethis Saturday.

The Legion will be gear­ing up for the Zone Meet­

ing in September.Kudos to the wings crew

for the job they did last Fri­day.

Meet us at the club!Lest We Forget.......

Page 3, The Westend Weekly, August 30, 2017

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Welcome to the start of something wonderful

by Melissa FriesenIt's the pseudo new year!

The lunches are packed,the backpacks are filled,and school buses are ubiq­uitous. It's all a little bitthrilling and a little bit sad­dening. The start of theschool year means thatsummer is officially over,kids are growing up, andnew expectations are beingset. But it's also a time forthem to invest in relation­ships, experience wonderand expand their capabili­ties. Each school year pres­ents its own challenges andgrowth opportunities, andno one is more attuned tothis than the classroomteacher.

Michelle Cain has beenteaching kindergarten for12 years, but this year she'sventuring into entirely newterritory ­ 5th grade. Ini­tially, that transition felt alittle out of reach. "At firstit was as if she told me Iwas teaching grade 8,that's how big of a jump itfelt like." Although she'dbeen asking for a changeand a chance to try teach­ing something new, thescope of things magnifiedonce it became reality. Buther nerves eased up the

more she read and re­searched and prepared andthat feeling of uncertaintywas replaced with some­thing different ­ somethingshe hadn't felt in awhile. "Ikind of feel like a newteacher all over again, sothe excitement is there."Over the summer, shespent more time than usualthinking about what she'swanted the year to looklike. After having becomeaccustomed to a certaincurriculum, routine, and setof procedures for 5 yearolds, she's had to rethinkher role and the classroomdynamic ­ and that wasreenergizing. "This age ofkids is going to be nice. Youcan talk with them and rea­son with them, and that re­lationship is a lot different."

She credits her colleagues(seasoned 5th grade teach­ers) with giving her confi­dence to understand whatstudents of that age are ca­pable of. Some days itmight be more than she'sready for, especially interms of technology. "Wedon't do too much of thatin kindergarten, and everystudent has a Chromebook[laptop] so I'll be learningalong with the kids. . . Ac­

tually, they could probablyteach me ." She beginsthinking out loud about allthat comes with technol­ogy, so called "cyber rules"for appropriate classroombehaviours. Cell phones,selfies, none of these havebeen an issue for her upuntil this point.

Her classroom on RobertMoore School's secondfloor is unlike any class­room I'd ever been taughtin. Aside from the usual ta­bles and chairs were a myr­iad of seating options. A alow, round table with floorpillows, a stand up desk, ahigh table with elevatedchairs, and right up front ­a couch. Gone are the daysof uniformity and conform­ity, these days it's all aboutflexibility. "There has beena lot of talk the last fewyears about flexible seat­ing. There will be rules, butthey can hopefully choosewhere they want to work."Assigned seats will not beused unless necessary, "butit all depends on the class,"Michelle reminds me."Some things work andsome things don't fromyear to year which makesteaching what it is. Youdon't know what you're

going to get until they allwalk in."

For her, that means own­ing her own flexibility, totake what she's plannedand be willing to adapt it tosuit the needs of her stu­dents. "I just hope that thekids are excited aboutcoming to school and thatthey want to come back.I've tried to make it ahome­y feel where we re­spect each other and buildcommunity to make eachother feel safe and wel­comed. . . I'm quite excitedabout this year, let's hopethat they are too."

That same excitement isshared by the teacheracross the hall, JenniferPagnotta. Although she'sbeen teaching in the RainyRiver district for 10 years,this is her very first class­room as a full time teacherand not under a contractposition. Along the way,she's picked up a lot ofgood ideas from whatother teachers have done.

And now she's taking fulladvantage of it. Her class­room incorporates a lot ofnatural decor, elementsshe believes helps aid increating a calm environ­ment. First of all, she has

south facing windowswhich will allow for a glori­ous amount of sunlightduring the winter months.Up on the walls you'll findbirch bark, in the corneryou'll find pillows that looklike real flowers, wickerbaskets filled with pillows,lamps, greenery andplants, and an essential oildiffuser. She has a chimefor signal transition periodsand hopes to play medita­tive music at times. Beforeany student can be readyto learn, they have to feelcomfortable, ready to takerisks, and able to focus.Jennifer hopes that engag­ing as many of the fivesenses as possible will dothat. Recent historic learn­ing structures generallyonly catered to independ­ent audio and visual learn­ers. When it comes tolearning in the 21st cen­tury, it's all about diversify­ing teaching styles toaccommodate. "Some kidslearn best with the SmartBoard, others need totouch and try things."Above all, the learning has

to connect to real life appli­cations in order for the stu­dents to absorb it forpractical use. "If they playsports, we have to makemath problems that applyto that, and so on."

Beyond different learningstyles, she knows that eachchild comes from uniquecircumstances. Part of herjob is learning how to fos­ter unity and even a sort offamily dynamic within theirroom. "I'm trying to createa home environment here.My goal this year is to cre­ate community within ourclassroom. I want it to be apositive experience tocome to school." She'sbeen working hard over thesummer to bring thoseideals into tangibility.

"I just want to make sureeveryone gets what theyneed." She, along with herEducational assistant, willhave the privilege and re­sponsibility to teach andsteward 23 4th grade stu­dents, or at least that'swhat her class list said as ofMonday.

Signs and banners with positive encouragement are strategically placed aroundMichelle Cain's classroom, reinforcing an optimistic approach to learning.

Perhaps not what you imagine when you think of a classroom, flexible seatingarrangements are designed to create a sense of autonomy and comfortability toenhance the learning process.

New laptops, new ideas, new curriculum ­ everythingis bursting with potential as they wait for the youngscholars to come and make their mark on the place.

Michelle Cain will teach 5th grade this year, after 12years as a kindergarten teacher.

Jennifer Pagnotta puts the finishing touches onpreparations in her 4th grade classroom. She hopes itwill be a place students can be themselves in andthrive.

Page 4, The Westend Weekly, August 30, 2017

Blue’sPaintingService

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* Call for Free Estimate *Hugh “Blue” Barrett, Rainy River and surrounding area

807-861-0272 hughbarrett46@gmail.comFriendly Quality Service!

Bookingnow forSpring

classified adsclassified adsMassey Ferguson combine,2­14” 3pth plows, phone276­2396. 22

Landini tractor for sale. 2007low hours 47 horse power,four wheel drive with loaderasking fifteen thousandphone 852 4464. 20

1020 John Deere tractor, 3cyl gas Allied loader with a 6’bucket. 7’ John Deere blade,live pto, 3 point hitch, chains,loaded tires, remote rear hy­draulic outlets. Everythingworks as it should $8,500,may consider part trade, ph.486­3887. 22

1 yearling polled Herefordbull, call Len Stafford 487­2276. 22

Wanted: someone tochange out four sections. ofselkirt chimney mostly inattic – one section aboveroofline. have all parts andladders. an afternoon ofwork. cash payment. phone487 2323. 21

Garage Sale for next week­end Sat. Sept. 2nd and Sun­day Sept. 3rd., 9am to 4pm.Downsizing large garagesale, tools, antiques, smalls,two English saddles, 12string guitar, householdsmalls. Many items too nu­merous to mention. 21

Garage Sale: Huge sale,compressor, standing toolbox, landscaping blocks, lotsof household and tools. Fri­day Sept 1st, 2017 8am ­7pm. 971 Hwy 611 S. 21

Central Boiler certified E­Classic OUTDOOR FUR­NACES. Heat your entirehome and hot water. Calltoday about limited time,money­saving offers! EmoFeed Service Ltd., CanningLane, Emo, ON 482­2017.21

Jigs! Glow jigs & spinners,Disco jigs, other colouredjigs, red/green spinners, cus­tom orders, ph. 852­3669. s

Electric wheelchair, like new

FARM AND OTHER

HEAVY EQUIPMENT

LIVESTOCK/PETS

FOR SALE

SERVICES AVAILABLE

OR WANTED

GARAGE & YARD

SALES

MISC. FOR SALE

acc. $300; A frame tool cartwith wheels $100; adultbikes $75 each; 2hockey/soccer nets $75; Cartop carrier $100; cat carrier$20; 100 landscape bricks$100; 2 drawer file cabinet$20; humidifier $75; 15 c.f.Kenmore upright freezer$300; antique sewing cabi­net $50; wood dollhouse fur­niture $75; 6 man tent $75phone 274­6639 after5:30pm. 22

dining rom set, call for info$400; backsplash tile incl. in­stall material $100; twin bed,call for details $100; MarthaStewart round glass patiotable/5 chairs $300; patio setcall for info $300; firepit $75;fountain $75; tile saw $50;ladder for pool $25; queenbed, call for info $300 ph.274­6639 after 5:30. 22

2 ­ 15" studded tires usedonly one winter and 4 rimsCall 276­3931. 21

31 bales of hay great forhorses with timothy andclover in it Call 276­4668 or276­3931. 21

Coleman Wheeled Cooler(65 Quarts/59 Litres) withtwo handles. Used onlyonce. 2 Glass Carboys , fer­menting containers, corkingmachine, heated belt andvarious items for wine mak­ing. Call 274­3190. 20

Butcher boy meat saw 220volt for sale in Fort Frances.Price 925.00 or obo. Hasextra blade. Call 274­9395 formore info. 20

Wanted to buy, a band saw,phone 482­1724. 22

Wanted: someone tochange out four sections. ofselkirt chimney mostly inattic – one section aboveroofline. have all parts andladders. an afternoon ofwork. cash payment. phone487 2323. 21

Wanted: Skeletal remains ofa small sturgeon for univer­sity course. Please call(807)488­9625 20

Wanted to Buy: Snowmobilefrom the 1960’s or 1970’s.May even consider one fromthe 1980’s. Call 218­324­3284. 21

Firearms in any condition,need not be complete orworking. Also interested inparts, scopes and sights, am­munition, reloading compo­nents or any firearm relateditems. Fair prices paid. 274­0472. s

Home for sale in Sleeman. 3bedroom, 1 bath 1176sq.ft.each level. 2 car garage on5.8 acres. Totally renovated.Call (807)852­4540. 20

For Rent: 3 bedroom house

WANTED

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE OR RENT

& MOBILE HOMES

overlooking the river nearStratton. Available to anolder or semi retired personor couple who would be will­ing to help maintain thelarge yard. Non smokers, nopets. House has a/c and rentincludes washer/dryer,fridge/stove, m/w, for moreinfo contact 483­5460 after 7pm. 22

1.03 acres of property onTrout River, top end of RedGut Bay, Rainy Lake. Formore info phone 807­481­1163. 21

2.5 acres in Dance Twp. Nicehigh land. Pine grove, cabin,garage, shed $25,000 obo,ph. 274­7295. 23

7 acres for sale west end ofRainy River $24,499 call 852­4805. 20

18 acres for sale, prime realestate, great river views, lotsof potential $175,000 call852­4805. 20

Hunting cabin for sale 85acres, 20 cleared Cabinwired and insulated Greatquiet serene spot Ontario,old homestead with mineralrights, asking $65,000, con­tact me Carol Wardman 514­755­1009 s

1988 prowler 5th wheelcamper. 25 1/2' long,fur­nace,hot water tank,fridge,stove,shower, bath­tub, air new tires, sleeps 5comfortably. Comes withhitch. $5,000. phone after 6pm. 274­7565 or 276­5272.20

1999 Pleasureway mo­torhome, all the extras,$27,000 obo phone 274­7295. 20

Used outboard motors forsale. Omc outboards 70 hp,9.5 hp,9.9hp, 20hp,2­25 hpall reconditioned . Call fordetails and prices. 807­274­2373 or 352­275­7020. 20

1980 Vanguard 26 & Halffoot Motorhome asking$500.00 A fixer upper Ph.274­6639 after 5:30pm. 21

2004 Chev Colorado, 4x4, 4door, loaded, no rust, $5,500phone 274­7295. 20

2009 Pontiac Vibe,blue/green colour w/blackint, a/c, auto, pwr windows,cargo liner, 32,837km, im­maculate cond., saftied, nosmoking or pet in vehicle,$8,000 ph. 274­5532. 20

1996 black Toyota Camry asis $500, 248,516km call 852­3709. 21

PLANES, BIKES &OTHER VEHICLES

RECREATIONAL

ITEMS

FOUND

$800 obo phone 274­7295.20

Taste the difference! PastureRaised Chicken. Want thembefore they are frozen?Order before August 30. 4­6lbs. $4.25/lb. Phone 487­1598 NO SUNDAY CALLS.21

Husquvarna hydrostaticlawn tractor, 42 inch cut,13hp Kohlar engine ­$600.00; Husquvarna hydro­static lawn tractor, 46 inchcut, 13hp Briggs & Stratton ­$500.00 phone 487­2226.21

Coleman 2 handled wheeledcooler 62qt (59L) Used onlyonce. $60.00, 7 1/2" Master­craft Band Saw 3600 STMexcellent condition $85.00,two 6 1/2 ft trolling rodswith Pen 309 Reels $60.00each Call 274­3190. 21

Cement edging 3 ft lengths.Call 274­5532. 20

Lg. Oak TV Cabinet $20; TallWhite Cabinet $20; GravityExercisor $20; Medicine Cab­inet $15; Mirror 42" by 24"$15; Baby Change Table $15See at 1232 First Street East,Fort Frances or Telephone274­9749. 21

Taylor Made, black/red ProGolf Bag $50; Lynn­blue/black Pro Golf Bag $40;Wilson brown carry golf bag$20; Lady Cobra white golfbag; Deluxe long neck headcovers; over sized golf heads$10 ea.; head covers, Ping,Dunlop, Taylor Made. Vari­ety of golf clubs Ping andMcGregor; gold towels, allnew $10 ea. Phone 274­5532.

20

Several older chainsaws, rungood, $40­$75 phone 275­8901. 22

Stainless steel propeller,Honda, 13 1/4x16, call after5pm 852­3850. 22

Many different sizes offlower pots; 2 fancy teapotsand 3 coffee pots; gardenedger, plastic, green; hedgertrimmer, electric; circularsaw with blade track cuttingguide; CB radio with cableand antenna and wire, sta­tions; fishing gear, poles,net, traps; many sizes ofwindows; Coleman campingstove and cans of propane,phone 483­5462. 22

Utility trailer, 7’10” long by4’8” wide (inside box meas­urement). Drop tailgate,stabilizer jacks, will haulboat and 4­wheeler com­bines, can be seen at 1213Elizabeth St. E., Fort Frances$800.00 call 274­5083. 22

Work bench with light $100;red, Craftsman tool chest$200; 5hp compressor with

LIDKEAOptometry ServicesDr. Robert E. Lidkea Dr. Bruce A. Lidkea

221 Scott Street Fort Frances, Ontario

(807) 274-6655

Lorelei Locker

OPTOMETRIST314 Scott Street, Fort Frances

274-0510

808 Scott St., Fort Franceswww.drcousineau.com

274-8551

DR. THOMAS COUSINEAU- O P T O M E T R I S T -

Alcoholics AnonymousRainy River AA

Please call for meeting time and locationPh. 1-807-276-1074

Rainy River DistrictWomen’s Shelter of Hope

If you are a woman who has experienced violence or abuse,staff at the Atikokan Crisis Cen-tre are available 24 hours a dayto listen and provide support to

you. Call

1-800-465-3348

NORTHERN SPORTS & MACHINE

Randy Orton • 651 Cty Rd 1 SW,Baudette

3/4 mile S. of Baudette Motel

(218)634-1089

ATVs & Snowmobiles• We service & repair all

makes & models• Complete Automotive &

Diesel Machine Shop• Complete line of Sled

Bed Trailers

Polaris ATVs may not be ridden by anyone under 16and all riders should take a safety course. For safetyand training information see your dealer or callPolaris at 1-800-342-2764. ATVs can be hazardous tooperate. For your safety always wear a helmet, eyeprotection, protective clothing and never carrypassengers. ©1998 Polaris Industries Inc.

Your outdoor furnace dealer!

•Stoves•Parts•Accessories•Installation

Mallard Creek Mechanicalmallardcreek@tbaytel.net - Daryl Meck

691 Barwick Road, Phone 487-1395 or 1-807-271-2201

Your local H&L Motors rep

See us for your farm equipmentneeds!

McCormick, Landini,Hesston, Valtra,

Kuhn, MacDon andFarm King

Check out the website:www.hlmotors.ca

Need used parts? Call or stop at

NORTH AUTOon the highway, west of Fort Frances 274-7243

NORTH AUTO for used parts!North Auto is your local recycler for used parts.

We can also find new after market parts at reasonable prices.

We are now scrapping for parts the following vehicles:2004 GMC Sierra 2500 2009 Vibe 2005 GMC Sierra 1500

2010 Fusion 2006 F150 2011 Ram15002007 Caliber 2013 Taurus 2009 Explorer2013 Journey 2009 Lancer 2016 Caravan

emphillHeatingVance Hemphill

Natural Gas & Propane Appliances

Sales, Services & InstallationProfessional Duct Cleaninghome, commercial & cottage

maintenance available

807-271-3516vhemphill@live.com

• Home Renovations

• New Construction• Lake Work

Windows ~ Doors ~ DecksDocks ~ Drywall ~ Kitchens

Baths and more!Call Randy 807-276-0263

If your water doesn’tdrain...

Ease the strain! Call

RomynPumpingWaste Water Service

Portable toilets available

483-5339

brown1958@sympatico.cawww.noblemonuments.ca

• Custom-orderedmonuments & markers• In Home Consultation

• Design Proof forApproval

• SatisfactionGuaranteed

482-3778276-3648

Mavis St. Hilaire

Noble Monument Sales

Contact me for aNo Obligation Quote

AttentionAnglers!!!

Get your worms,leeches & minnowsfrom your local full

time supplier

JC Bait & Tackle211 Sixth Street

Back lane access.(807) 852-4660

Bait suppliedby DaveWerenko Baits

Classified Advertising Rules: Personal classified ads are a free service. They runfor 2 weeks and must be resubmitted if you wish them to run again. We charge forbusiness classifieds at $9.65 per inch per week. Please do not phone in freeclassifieds. We accept them only by email, mail, or drop off. We have a mail box nextto the office door if we’re closed. Please don’t use this free service for lists of items.We will not accept items repeated every two weeks over long periods of time. Pleaseprint or type submissions. Real Estate ads are not free. $20.00 included withthe ad of 50 words or less pays for a 4 week run. Billing address must beincluded with the ad or it will not run.General Newspaper submissions and letters to the editor: This is an independantpublication solely owned and edited by Jacquie Dufresne. I will not accept any sub-missions which are slanderous or intended to malign any person, business or organi-zation. I won’t print any letters to the editor which are written to anyone other than theeditor of this paper unless the editor is addressed. Submission of articles originatingin other publications will be accepted providing proof of authorization is provided.

Need helpquitting

smoking?

334 Scott St., Fort Frances

Find us on Facebookcall, or visit today.807-270-8273

McLean’s Auto Body

Complete Collision Repairs, Commercial, Automotive Painting, Glass & Radiators

Call Kevin McLean(807) 487-2308, Fax (807) 487-2779

Carr’s Repairis pleased to announce

they are a certified repairshop and do heavy truck

and trailer, bus and car safties.

Phone 487-2548or see our website at:

www.carrsrepairvintageparts.com

“Finding Gobi : The True Story of One Little Dog’s Big Journey” by Dion Leonard

“Sometimes, it’s fun tojust run.

It’s fun to get your legspumping, to pound feet onpavement, and pump yourarms until your headclears. The faster you go,the better it gets and thatcan make you really happy.And, as in the new book,“Finding Gobi ” by DionLeonard, if you’re lucky, itcan also make you a newbest friend.

Dion Leonard loved torun.

Unfortunately, he didn’tfeel like he was good at itanymore. Not long ago,he’d hurt his leg and, muchas he wanted to get backinto marathon running, itwasn’t easy. Still, he’dsigned up to run 70 milesthrough China . Maybe

that old joywould return.

And then Dionsaw the dog.

She was kindof scruffy, with afunny­lookingtail and hairaround her nosethat made herlook like she hada beard. He pat­ted her and senther off but whenthe race started,she started run­ning right nextto him! Dion did­n’t give the dogmuch thought,but she pacedhim until thatnight at runner’s

camp, then she curled upnext to him in his tent.

The next day, the littledog ran alongside Dion, uprocks and across sand. Shenever got tired, and hestarted to like having thiscompanion on themarathon. At the end ofthe day, he made arrange­ments to get her across themost dangerous part of therace; those little paws sim­ply wouldn’t be able tomake it across the Gobidesert.

Gobi .There. The dog had a

name.By the end of the

marathon, in which Diondid exceptionally well, hehad fallen in love with thelittle brown dog and vowedto take her home to Scot­land with him. That, he

quickly learned, was easiersaid than done: there wasyards of paperwork, allkinds of tests, quarantine,and several airplane rides ­but those we're not thehardest parts.

Someone, it seemed,wanted to make a profit offDion’s quest to bring hisdog home. And others did­n’t want his dog around atall…

Hand your child thisbook, and she may imme­diately know that its end­ing won’t be sad. Theoutcome is practically onthe front cover – and yet,“Finding Gobi” is toocharming to pass by.

Who can resist a tale ofdetermination against allodds, cost, and logistics,when it comes to the loveof a dog? Few could, that’sfor sure, but be preparedfor the questions that thischild’s version of a grown­up book will launch: authorDion Leonard writes subtlyof his own issues at the be­ginning of the race, of anon­dog­loving culture,and of fame that turnsstrangely threatening. Be­cause this is a young read­ers edition, fullexplanations may go lack­ing; also, language may bepretty advanced.

The best solution tothose issues is to read“Finding Gobi” along withyour 8­to­12­year­old. Youwon’t be sorry. As much asyou love your dog, you’ll“get” this book, so make arun on it.

The Bookworm SezThe Bookworm Sez by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Page 5, The Westend Weekly, August 30, 2017

Stan’s500 Scott St., Fort Frances, Phone 274-9249

Up to55%Off onBlinds

Town ofRainy River

Employment Opportunity

After School ProgramCo-Ordinator (1 position)

Assistant (1 position)

Location: Riverview Elementary School, RainyRiver, OntarioContract Length: September 18, 2017 to June14, 2018Hours: • Assistant 9 hours per week – 3 daysper week.

• Co-ordinator 12 hours per week – 3days per week.

Deadline for applications: September 13, 2017

Full details on the position can be obtained bycontacting the Municipal Office at:

201 Atwood Avenue, P.O. Box 488Rainy River, ON P0W 1L0Phone: 1-807-852-3978Email: rainyriver@tbaytel.net

or view the completed job description atwww.rainyriver.ca

ThankYouThe Morson Bass Interna-tional fishing tournamentheld August 19 & 20

thanks the sponsors, volunteers, anglers and com-munity for their support.

Thank you to our fine sponsors and contributors:Tompkin's Hardware, Sunset Country Ford,

Badiuk's Powersports, Kreger Sales and Service, Miller Contracting, Nexus Credit Union,

Spruce Creek Golf Course, Lake of the Woods Township,Morson Women's Institute, Beaver Mills,

Bill & Sharon Parsons, Brian Major Jr., Boutique Baudette,Buena Vista Resort, Cloverleaf Shop Easy, Dan Dincau,

Deb's Nails, Degagne Equipment, Elvis Adams, Fort Frances General Supply, Gills' Morson Marina,

Harris Hill Resort, J & J General Store, John & CJ Mork,Meanfield Tactical, Outdoors Again, Pier North Ltd.,

Rachel Hermann, Rainy River Hardware, Ron & Sue Mazur, Ronnings- Baudette,

Wood's Quality Bakery.Congratulations to Champions Scott Anderson andTim Donaghue, 2nd Place: Kyle Turgeon and DaveByrnes, 3rd Place: Coel Forsyth and Paul Forsyth, 4th Place: Oliver Gibbins and Les Morrison.

For a complete list of winnings and teams, see www.morsonbass.com

Save the date, August 19 & 20, 2018

Rainy River District School Board

invites applications for the positions of:

Qualified Occasional TeacherCasual Education Assistant

Casual Caretaker

For more information regarding these positionsplease visit the Employment section of our web-site at www.rrdsb.on.ca

Heather CampbellDirector of Education

A burning need for visionarypragmatism on nicotineBy David Sweanor

At the end of July, theUnited States Food andDrug Administration (FDA)did something remarkable­ even revolutionary. It de­cided to behave in a ra­tional way about nicotine ­embracing a sensibleharm­reduction approach.Canada would do well tofollow.

Instead, Canada has beenfocused on risk aversionwhere nicotine is con­cerned ­ and such a stance,ironically, protects the cig­arette trade.

Cigarette smoking, de­spite decades of efforts toeradicate it, still claimsroughly 100 Canadian livesdaily. It remains our singlelargest cause of preventa­ble death.

It's been known fordecades that while peoplesmoke for the nicotine,they die from the smoke.The culprit in this publichealth disaster is the in­halation of the products ofcombustion rather than theuse of dependence­pro­ducing but relatively in­nocuous nicotine. Just aswe can stop cholerathrough cleaner water, wecan stop the cigarette epi­demic through the substi­tution of non­combustionalternatives to cigarettes.

Very large numbers ofsmokers are already keento reduce risks and areswitching to emerging al­ternatives such as vapingproducts, various forms ofsmokeless tobacco, medic­inal nicotine and productsthat heat, rather than burn,tobacco. To do so, theyoften have to overcomeobstacles created by ourgovernments and an ava­lanche of abstinence­onlymessaging.

Canadian regulation hasnot only failed to adapt toand facilitate the transitionto these massively lower­risk products, but ham­pered their development,marketing and accessibil­ity. Smoke­free productscould not only dramaticallyreduce the disease burdenbut could facilitate total

nicotine abstinence forthose who wish it.

FDA commissioner Dr.Scott Gottlieb announced aplan to regulate tobaccoand nicotine products inthe U.S. based on a pro­nounced "continuum ofrisk." They plan to helpsmokers move to non­combustion products. Got­tlieb sees that nicotine isnot only the problem (inkeeping smokers addictedto cigarettes) but also, ulti­mately, the solution. Nico­tine, in other words, can bedelivered in a way that em­powers smokers to discardthose lethal cigarettes.

Unfortunately, Canadahas opted for a misguidedrisk averse stance encom­passed in Bill S­5, whichmade it through the Cana­dian Senate this summerand is (in a reverse of typi­cal parliamentary proce­dure) awaiting approvalfrom the House of Com­mons. Proponents of Bill S­5 argue it's an attempt tofind balance between prag­matism and an abstinence­only agenda on nicotineuse. The problem is, just aswith other drug issues,there is no middle groundbetween rationality and ir­rationality.

If passed, Bill S­5 willmake it illegal for a com­pany to tell smokers thatlower­risk products are,well, lower risk. When gov­ernments think the solu­tion is to be exceedinglyand irrationally risk averseabout anything that couldgive smokers viable anddramatically less haz­ardous alternative prod­ucts, they have just failed avision test.

Canadian legislators havemoved forward, seeminglyreluctantly, from trying toban electronic cigarettes tocreating legislation thatwould still hamper market­ing and sales of lower­riskproducts in such a way thatfewer people smoking cig­arettes will quit. Call itdeath by mandated decep­tion.

If this sounds like an exag­gerated claim, consider

that just one new non­combustion product hasdisplaced more than a 10thof the Japanese cigarettemarket in less than twoyears and is forecasted bymarket analysts to replace18 per cent by the end ofthis year. In the wings are amyriad of other new low­risk products on, or soon tobe on, the global market.

Canada could be on thethreshold of a healthbreakthrough of historicsignificance ­ if we recog­nized nicotine's continuumof risk. What holds us backis not a lack of science,technology, business via­bility nor consumer inter­est. Rather, it's a collectivefailure of vision.

The cigarette epidemiccould be ended. A millionpremature Canadiandeaths over the next 25years could be averted. It'stime for our governmentsto take on smoking, toshow vision and to spare usthe embarrassment ofDonald Trump's appointeeslooking more rational thanour leaders.

We can replace an ap­proach based on punishingand shaming smokers intotrying to quit with one thatempowers them to suc­ceed. With a visionary ap­proach, we can relegatecigarettes to history's ash­tray.

David Sweanor is an ad­junct professor with the Fac­ulty of Law and the Centrefor Health Law Policy andEthics at the University ofOttawa. He has helped de­velop tobacco­control lawsin Canada and globally forover 30 years, and was therecipient of Ottawa's Out­standing Individual Philan­thropist award in 2016. Hewas denied an opportunityto testify before the Senatecommittee looking at Bill S­5.

LOW holding third Canada celebration

Once again the Lake ofthe Woods TownshipCanada 150th Committeewill host a celebrationevent for Canada's 150thBirthday.

Two very successful andfun filled celebrationevents have taken placethis year. In February over150 people gathered at theBergland Community Hallto celebrate Canada'sbirthday. Reeve ValeriePizey warmly welcomedeveryone with informativeand inspirational words.After singing O Canadaeveryone enjoyed an abun­dant potluck supper withwith birthday cake for

dessert. The evening con­tinued with a variety of en­tertaining and delightfulmusic.

In July a very successfuland enjoyable BBQ washeld at Oscar Bay Beach.Those who attended weretreated to a delicious mealand spent an enjoyable dayat the beach.

The third event plannedwill be held at the BerglandCommunity Hall on Satur­day September 9th. Theevent will begin with apotluck supper from 5:00­7:00 pm. After the mealthere will be musical enter­tainment, a one hour Cana­dian Trivia contest with

prize money for the win­ning table and more musicfor dancing and listeningenjoyment.

Whether you have orhave not attended aCanada 150 celebrationthis year, consider yourselfinvited. The last twoevents were great fun. Youwon't want to miss thisone.

Canada is OUR country .It is the home of peace, op­portunity and profoundbeauty. Let's join togetherand celebrate.

Submitted by the Lake ofthe Woods Canada 150thCommittee

Robots in the workforce:resistance is futile, so we must adapt

By Daniel KomeschAutomation has become

a scary word. As new tech­nologies proliferate, un­ease and uncertaintysurround the labour marketof the future.

Will jobs be destroyed?Created? Can a robot reallyreplace what I do? Whatkind of career should mychild pursue if we don'tknow what the jobs of thefuture will look like? Howcan I retrain?

If new studies are to bebelieved, nearly half of theCanadian labour force is athigh risk of automation inthe next 10 to 20 years. Butwhat does that really meanfor today's ­ and tomor­row's ­ workers?

The reshaping ofeconomies due to innova­tions in technology is achallenge that has per­sisted across time ­ econo­mist Joseph Schumpeterconsidered it to be the es­sential fact about capital­ism: technologies emergeand economies are forcedto transition.

In the face of a transition­ing economy, we only haveone choice: embrace andadapt. So, looking ahead toan automated future,where should Canada con­centrate its educational en­ergies?

The solution should beco­operational ­ whichmeans tapping all ofCanada's resources as weadapt to the needs of thefuture. So politicians andpolicy­makers would bewise to look beyond theusual players.

One of the avenues for­ward includes embracingeducational institutionsthat are already used toworking hand­in­hand withindustry ­ which meansthey're already accus­tomed to perpetual innova­tion.

I'm talking about poly­technics. Polytechnics arepublicly­funded collegesand institutes of technol­ogy that offer a full suite ofcredentials, including four­year bachelor's degreesand apprenticeships, whilealso offering industry arange of research and de­velopment, and innovationservices. Programs areskills­intensive and tech­nology­based, encompass­ing hands­on andexperiential learning.

Polytechnics already havetight connections to Cana­dian industry, built throughtheir innovation servicesand advisory groups madeup of industry representa­tives. So they tend to knowwhere labour markets areheaded, and care about theskills necessary for the jobsof today and tomorrow.

For example, HumberCollege in Toronto de­

ployed its Electromechani­cal Engineering ­ Automa­tion and RoboticsAdvanced Diploma pro­gram in response to a man­ufacturing sector that hasfaced technological disrup­tion. This program devel­ops skills in industrialautomation, robotics, con­trol systems, machining,hydraulics, pneumatics,mechatronics and auto­mated welding. Its gradu­ates get jobs.

Calvin Kimura graduatedfrom the program in 2013and after first working as arobotics technician atglobal manufacturing giantMagna, he now owns andoperates CK Automation,which supplies businesswith a full suite of automa­tion services from design,development, build, instal­lation and maintenance.

That's how innovationand job growth happens.And it didn't come from thelab ­ it came from a poly­technic education alignedwith industry needs.

Yet polytechnics are oftenneglected by policy­mak­ers. Their sister institutions,universities, get the policylimelight. But as many as30 per cent of students at­tending a polytechnic havepreviously attended uni­versity. That number is onthe rise.

Why? Polytechnics areparticularly good at a keycomponent: connectingthe supply and demandsides of the labour market.This is especially valuableas new technologiesemerge that require theadoption of new skill sets.

One way polytechnics an­ticipate labour marketshifts is through their pro­gram advisory committees,comprised in part of indus­

try leaders.Mike Cybulski, director of

business development atRAMP Inc., another au­tomation powerhouse, hasserved on Conestoga Col­lege's program advisorycommittee for the Ad­vanced Diploma in Me­chanical EngineeringTechnology in Kitchener,Ont. Cybulski advised in­structors on how to designtheir curricula so that grad­uates are immediately em­ployable in the field. RAMPitself employs approxi­mately 30 Conestoga Col­lege graduates ­ certifiedtechnologists and trades­people.

Advisers like Mike em­phasize the need for poly­technics to offer a broadswath of credentials and togrow multidisciplinary tal­ent ­ both necessary for aninnovation or automationeconomy.

If the essential fact aboutcapitalism is creative de­struction and the necessaryreshaping of economies,then governments need tosee polytechnics as theeconomic actors they areand bring them into the in­novation policy discussion.

Polytechnics adapt, em­brace, and thrive in theface of economic challengeand change. Canada is onthe verge of becoming anautomation nation andpolytechnics say, "Bring iton."

If we are to harness all thetalent we have, it's timeCanada's policy­makersrecognized the importanceof polytechnics among theeducational opportunitiesavailable to Canadians.

Daniel Komesch is a seniorpolicy analyst with Poly­technics Canada.

or visit our website at: www.carrsrepairvintageparts.com

Page 6, The Westend Weekly, August 30, 2017

Hours - Monday to Friday 7-5:30pm, Saturday 8 to 12861 Kings Hwy. Fort Frances 274-3853

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Honduras: My Unorthodox Teacher

by Melissa FriesenThe first time I went to

Honduras I thought itlooked like Canada. I staredout my bus window in akind of delighted awe.Nicaragua had not lookedlike this, with its flat, dustylands and colossal volca­noes. My first impression ofHonduras was that of tran­quility, a land rich withrolling hills covered in pinetrees. I could have beenright at home if I hadn'tknown better. But I was along way from the quietcorridors and channels ofthe Rainy River District.

Once known as the "Mur­der Capital of the World" (atitle now belonging to itsneighbour, El Salvador) thecountry is rugged in waysthat we don't understandin remote NorthwesternOntario, pine trees or not.In the 1980s, Honduras be­came a base the UnitedStates used to fight com­munism in Nicaragua andto protect its commercial­ized interests, namely ba­nanas. The brutal war ledmany to flee to the UnitedStates, particularly south­ern California. Then, in theearly 2000's, U.S. immigra­tion laws changed. Any for­eign born residentsentenced with a year ormore in jail was stripped oftheir citizenship and sentback. Twenty thousand

people, mostly Honduransand Salvadorans, manywith gang connections toeither 18th Street or MS­13(both originating in LA)were repatriated. Needlessto say, both gangsamassed members and ter­ritorial control throughoutthe Northern Triangle(Guatemala, El Salvador,Honduras) and are well es­tablished as human traf­fickers.

With a historically volatilepolitical structure and 60%of citizens living in poverty(less than $2.50 in dailyhousehold income), gangsprovided a rare opportu­nity to make money, feelsecure, and exert power.So, yeah, this wasn'tCanada.

But we lived above thecapital city, 40 minutes upinto the mountains where,you guessed it, pine treescovered the land. We set upour tents at a five acreproperty along the high­way, next to a restaurantserving up fried chickenand crispy pork fat. Ourway into the city (to placeslike TGI Friday's and Chili's)would be via "chicken bus,"any of the wildly decoratedand heavily packed schoolbuses used in Honduras aspublic transportation.

We were home, and whata home it was. Zion's Gatewas a refuge for kids,mostly boys, ages 4­18 and

sometimes beyond, whowould otherwise be on thestreets, high on glue, ingangs, in trouble. Beyondliving, playing, and socializ­ing with the residents ofZion's Gate, we had out­side jobs as well. One weekmy team built a rock wallalong the edge of the prop­erty, another week I taught4th grade at a nearbyschool. I entertained babieswhile their underage momscompleted school studiesat a safe house. Honduras,the one country on my triplist that sparked no intriguefor me before going wouldbe the first one I'd returnto.

Here's the thing though.Even though I had done myown growing and changingover the last four years, Iexpected Honduras to bethe same. I wanted to stepback in time, to relive whata special month that was.But nothing in life is static,and while the many largescale issues that plaguedHonduras are still rampanttoday, the people havechanged. The boys whowere hyperactive 13 yearolds are now 17 and suave.

But beyond that, the min­istry had dissolved in themost frightening of ways,scattering most like seedsto be planted in hard ortoxic soil. The boys them­selves were now four yearsolder, some back on the

streets, some in school(thankfully), most aimlessand wandering.

It felt unfair, honestly. Icouldn't help but be of­fended. It seemed unrea­sonable that I could havegiven a month of my timeand heart and still havethings end up this way. Istood on that property,fields which were meantfor running are now hometo rows and rows of corn.Rooms with pool tablesand murals are now re­painted and rented out tothe public. Empty space. Aplace that used to be heavywith laughter and mischiefis now heavy in silence,save for the sounds ofclothes being washedagainst the outdoor pila.

And then I realized,standing on those grounds,that a month is nothing.What had been forged inmy mind as a lasting con­nection was simply 30 daysfor them. Thirty days of thelast 1,500. I had come, I hadgone, and they had contin­ued surviving and existing,and when the time came,leaving. I thought I hadsome right to be upsetabout the circumstances,but I have none at all. I'mbecoming more and moreconvinced that the onlyway to really influence peo­ple is through long termfriendship. It's the only wayyou lose the temptation tocommoditize people. Tobox them in. It's the onlyway to be equal.

The days are long but the

years are short and onlythose who exist in thatmiddle space, who arearound to watch the pine

trees grow, will have anysay about what Honduraslooks like four years fromnow.

At Zion's Gate there was always a lot of activity, always improvements being doneto make the property better, and always people working together to make thesethings happen.

My first impression of Honduras back in 2013 from mybus window. It was more or less the spitting image ofthe Canadian Shield in my mind.

There are no longer tree houses or tire swings. The property is quiet, a stark con­trast from what I'd known.

This same area as the work photo from four years ago (taken from a differentangle) shows the property is now being used to grow corn, for eating and selling.