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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 1985, "SALUTE TO PROGRESS", WHITBY FREE PRESS Consuming 336 million kilowatt hours.... WHEC serves over 13,000 customers The past year has been one of significant growth for the Whitby Hydro Electric Com- mission. More than 700 customers have been added to the system bringing the total num- ber of customers served to more than 13,000. With a modest staff of 31, Whitby Hydro operates a system covering the whole town - more than 50 square miles, with seven municipal substations and hundreds of miles of lines. Peak demand for 1984 was 65,000 kilo- WHITBY H YDRO ELECTRIC COMMISSION' Back Row (from left): Dr. John McKinney, Com- missioner; Rex Hopkins, Secretary-Treasurer; B. Thompson May, Jr., General Manager; and, Albert Ran- dall, Commissioner. Front row (from left): Mayor Robert Attersley, Commissioner; Gerald Cox, Commissioner; Robert Cawker, Chairman. WORKING TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY -J watts and sales of elec- tricity topped 336 million kilowatt hours. This year, 1985, sees the utility getting more involved with com- munity service. Their new Whitby Hydro Radio Watchout program is a good example. The program is designed to compliment the existing Neigh- bourhood Watch Program. Utility staff are being instructed by the Durham Regional Police Department's community service bureau in crime detec- tion,osuspect iden- tification and com- munications proce- dures. Whitby Hydro bas 18 staff members in the field throughout the community w th 12 vehicles equipped with two-way radios. When one of these people ob- serves any suspicious activity he or she will quickly report the in- formation to the police. Furthermore, the public should be aware that, in an emergency when one of their trucks or cars is in the vicinity and access ta phone is not there, their people can radio for help quickly - for the police, fire department or am- bulance service - saving time and maybe even a life. This program has been developed in con- sultation wit and ap- proved by the Durham Regional Police Depar- tment. The publie should also be aware that the vast majority of the WhiLy Hydro staff has been trained in car- diopulmonary resusci- tation (CPR) techniques and St. John's ambulan- ce first-aid care. These are on-going programs whereby certified em- ployees are re-certified on a regular basis and new employees en- couraged to become certified in these techniques. The Whitby Hydro and its employees believe that it bas an obligation to the com- munity to be ready and able to assist the public in emergencies of al kinds. Programa sucb as those outlined above are an important part of enabling them to be prepared todo so. Owasco grew from an empty field into a car dealership that employs 43 people Frank Verwey bought the farming property in 1971 and by February the following year opened the doors of the new Volkswagen and Audi dealership for business. Owasco Volkswagen started out with six em- ployees and now em- ployees 43 people. The car dealership bas experienced sales growth ever since it opened its doors. With the sales trend of the new Golf and Jetta, Verwey expects sales to increase by 20 per cent and could attain 30 per cent if Owasco could receive more cars. The new Golf has won domestic car of the year award and the new Jetta bas won the import car of the year award by Canada's automotive journalists. The Golf GTI also won Motor Trend's Car of the Year Award. The company is always making sure it has the latest equipment to assure maximum quality standards and efficiency. In the last year-and-a-half Owasco has spent over $100,000 in modernizing the bodyshop and service equipment. The bodyshop has the latest in downdraft spray bake ovens. It allows the cars to be painted in a dust free environment. The oven bakes the paint on while it is being sprayed at a temperature of about 180 degress farenheit and will dry the car in 35 minutes. The bodyshop also has the latest in frame straightening equip- ment, allowing the car to be aligned exactly back to factory specifications. Owasco's service department has won the last two consecutive years as top VW service department in all of Canada. The service has also won the Ontario Motor League Service Award. Owasco also operates a rental fleet of cars, vans, trucks, buses and campers, with over 150 vehicles on fleet. The company works primarily with the European Traveller and inconjunction with ap- proximately 80 tour wholesalers. It sells~ts program to about 20,00( travel agencies ir Europe. The compan3 now offers car anc camper rentals ir Calgary, Vancouver New York, Holland anc West Germany. Verwey attributes thi awards and the dealer ship's success to th people working there They care about thei work. They always wan to achieve the best an they realize that th customer is numbe one. L 128 BROCK STREET SOUTH, WHITBY AM m