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PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, October 3,1989 -- 7 WARMS THE HEART There are times in this business of newspa- pers when one wonders if it's really worth it. Complaints from readers and advertisers are routine; some of the stories we report are extreme- ly difficult when a tragedy occurs involving loss of ife. But then there are times when a story really does have a positive impact, a happy ending if you will, that warms one's heart, even the heart of someone like myself, who after 15 years in the news business has seen it all, and for defensive reasons has developed a thick skin of jaded crust to deflect the arrows of criticism. | found my heart warming considerably one bright sunny afternoon last week when | sat in the living room of Lois Hoftyzer talking about a very special young girl named Amberlee. First a word of background to this story. Back in May, | was contacted by Paul Woodcroft of the Oshawa and District Association for Community Living. He and other members of the Association were trying hard to find a caring home for Amberlee in the Scugog area. She had been living with a family in the area for several years, who because their own kids were growing to the point where they needed all the attention good parents must give, simply could no longer care for Amberlee. Finding Amberlee a new home in the Scugog area was crucial to allow her to continue in her special class at the Prince Albert School. | wrote the story, which included a photo of Amberlee, outlining her plight. No sooner had the Viewpoint by John B. McClelland paper been published that week when Lois Hoftyz- er read the article and decided on the spot that she would like to open her home for Amberlee, to give her Jnis special care, attention and love that she needs. After a lenghty screening process, the Associ- ation agreed to allow Lois and her husband Frank to take Amberlee into their home. Amberee is not like most other ten year olds. She has cerebral palsey. She is not able to walk or talk. It is not known if she will ever be able to walk on her own, or say more than just a few single words. Time will tell. But sitting there in the living room last week with Lois Hoftyzer, and Amberlee's natural mother Debra Loyst, along with two members of the Asso- ciation, watching this child play happily on the rug, throwing her arms around her mom's neck, gur- ling with joy when Lois tickled the bottoms of her eet, | felt pretty darn good. The love, the affection, the commitment flow- ing back and forth in that room was so genuine. There were "no strings attached." Indeed, as Lois explained, you can't buy Am- berlee's love or her attention by simply getting a new toy or dressing her up in trendy kids fashions. It was pleasing for me to think that this paper through a story printed back in May probably had a pan in bringing Amberlee to the Hoftyzer home, eeping her in class at Prince Albert School, per- haps even easing the fears and anxieties of her mom Debra, who is able to visit as often as she likes and spend "quality time" with her daughter. When | first saw Amberlee back in May, | was struck by her smile, so genuine and spontaneous. And meeting her again last week, | saw that same smile. Lois and her husband make a point of taking Amberlee out a lot. They put her wheelchair in the van and head out to Harbourfront for antiques, or just for a drive. They took her on vacation to the States this summer. Lois said the reaction from people is amazing. Other children want to sit by her, talk to her, ask questions to find out why she can't walk or talk. The arents of these children sometimes react different- y. One mother grabbed her youngster and hauled him away from Amberlee's wheelchair as if fearful her son would "catch the same disease." | guess it tells us something about the attitudes of kids and adults. | only spent an hour with Amberlee, Lois and Debra last week, but as | said before | came awa feeling a bit better about the world in which we all live. | felt good for this young girl knowing that there are people who care, who are willing to make a genuine, long term commitment of their time and energies. Make no mistake about it, caring for someone like Amberlee takes a lot of time every minute of every day. It is not something that many of us could do, or would even be prepared to try. It was nice to see Amberlee's mother Debra appear so relaxed and at ease. The last time | met Debra briefly back in May she was strung out with worry and anxiety, a bundle of nerves who cried at (Turn to page 12) Remember When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 19, 1944 The fine day brought some 1500 spectators to the South On- tario Plowing Match, held on the farms of Geo. Beare and E. Phair at Greenbank on Thursday last week. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Ploughman was the scene of a very pretty wedding on Saturday, October 4th, 1944 when their eldest daughter, Luella Mae became the bride of Ellsworth G. Kennedy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Kennedy of Udora, Ontario. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 21, 1954 The residents of this community are thankful that they suf- fered so little damage compared to the Humber Valley area when Hurricane Hazel stuck. Ruby Leask won the inter-school Senior Girls' Champion- ship to add to her track and field laurels. Included in her triumphs was the breaking of a twenty-two year old record in the softball throw for distance with a throw of 188 feet. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 22, 1959 Those who are interested in the past record of Port Perry and area may find the following of value: The last fall fair held in Prince Albert was in 1872. The first fall fair to be held in Port Perry was in 1873. The fair grounds were at the south end of Water Street and the first train in Port Perry was in 1872 - These dates are quoted on authority of Mr. Wellington Somerville, who called into the Star office last week. Last Friday evening Teen Town held its second regular dance of the year. Mr. and Mrs. Storey Beare very kindly consented to act as chaperones for the evening. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, October 22, 1964 Robert Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Smith, Port Perry, received the Port Perry Lions Grain Club Trophy, which he won for obtaining the highest number of points in the club. He receiv- ed a total of 875 points out of a possible 1,000. Larry Burt, one of the club leaders and a teacher at our local high school, presented the trophy to Robert. Cottagers on Lake Scugog rescued two Oshawa fliers, Dr. Barry Woods and Mr. Ron Poulter, on Saturday when their single engine amphibious plane crashed and averturned at the mouth of the Nonquon River. The Port Perry High School announced that Bill Diamond, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Diamond of Port Perry, has become (Turn to page 8) Letters to the editor EAE AE AE Be ee The PM's 9% Federal Sales Tax To the Editor: With regard to the 9 percent sales tax Brian Mulroney and Michael Wilson intend to imple- ment, I find it difficult to believe how anyone can allow themselves to believe all'the misleading pro- mises Brian Mulroney continues to administer. No politician can convince me that having a 9 percent tax slap- ped on to my hydro bill, vet bill, dog grooming and boarding bills and anything else that moves is for the good of the country. Mulroney, like his predecessor, Pierre Trudeau, considers himself to be the best thing that ever happened; constantly has a bagful of nonsense tricks up his sleeve that is used to manipulate anyone he can get to eat out of his hand like a trained seal and uses to win himself a victory and never intends to carry out any of his' promises. Every step he makes puts everyone else one to two steps Time to plant a tree To the Editor: Never in history has man more polluted his environment and destroyed natures balance. Water, air, land and sea are be- ing destroyed at an alarming rate. The green house effect, destruction of the ozone layer, chemical pollutants and acid rain are assaulting the atmosphere and in the long term may effect our ability to produce food and find drinking water. The destruction of the rain forests of Brazil, coupled with the similar destruction of them in Borneo by the Japanese, is denuding.the planet of our main source of oxygen. The very air we breath is being threatened. In Mexico City the air quality is so bad people are dying by the hun- dreds. We have all heard of the air pollution problem in California they call smog. A recent TV documentary on public broadcasting says that "Life is in the balance" and warns the present loss of species and habitat "parallels in magnitude a cataclysmic event that once destroyed Two-Thirds of all sea life." Our ecosystem may SephapTeet STIRS SEE ER SR VAP ERASER R TEA EERE EN SWRA ES ENS ER be on the edge of destruction. The U.S. Forestry service has introduced a plan to plant 100 million trees in urban areas in the (Turn to page 8) Smile For The Day down the ladder. Wilson and Mulroney have nothing to worry about. With a tax fee allowance on their expense accounts, the tax they end up paying is very little. Mulroney is slick and smug and looks upon the average Canadian as an idiot. It is obvious he does not see them as having any in- telligence to be constantly misleading them, and assuring himself they cannot see through him. Michael Wilson is starting to sound like a broken record; it's the same line over and over, of "'If we are to achieve our goals." It took the average Canadian 16 years of Trudeau in office before they saw what he was up to. How long before it is learned what Mulroney is up to? H. Zoller, Port Perry. 'Bad news, sire, it will take a kings ransom to bail out the savings and loans." os