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4 - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, November 2, 1999 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" Down and out in Croatia (Well, almost) Skating coach Anna Forder-McLaughlin recalls trying times at a meet in Europe By Chris Hall Port Perry Star Anna Forder-McLaughlin got much more than she had bargained for during a recent figure skating competition in Europe. Everything was going even better than she had planned when Canada's contingent competed in a Junior Grand Prix in Zagreb, Croatia late last month. " "Things were very normal for the most part," Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin said from her Blackstock-area home recently. "We flew to Croatia as planned, we competed and the results were fantas- tic, and then we planned to fly out a week later. Everything was going so well." But the day the five coaches, nine skaters and team leader were scheduled to return to Canadian soil, all that changed. "We were getting ready to leave and (18-year-old pairs skater) Anne Powers started to get some pains in her stom- ach and we thought it was her appen- dix," she said. With their plane set to leave, the Canadians were forced to leave behind Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin and Ms Powers, of Oshawa. It was judged too great a risk to try and fly the young woman home. - Her skating partner, Jamie Campbell of Woodville, tried unsuccess- fully to convince team officials to let him stay. "We finally got an ambulance to come to our hotel, but once we got in it we had no idea where we were going," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. Co The Canadians ended up in the old- est hospital in the Croatian city. "The hospital was immaculate for an old building, but inside was a different story," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. "What a difference. Here you are treated so well and they provide every- Anna Forder-McLaughlin had a trying time in Europe, but is ready to return. thing... over there they had no rubber gloves for surgery, and you had to bring your own toilet paper and kleenex and towels and if you wanted to eat you needed your own knife, fork and spoon," she said. "You have to be totally prepared when you go into the hospital over there, and, unfortunately for us, we weren't planning on a trip to the hospi- tal." Once Ms Powers was registered as a patient, the trouble continued. "They wouldn't let me stay with her, it was against their rules," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. "I talked to every- one from the janitors to the chief of staff . to let me stay, but they argued that their job would-be on the line if I was caught in there." After much discussion, Mrs. Forder- McLaughlin finally got the okay to stay. "I think they let me stay just so they could get me to be quiet," she said. After a few hours of observation, it was deemed that the illness was not appendicitis, but most likely food poi- . soning. "We were getting out of there," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. "But our insurance through the Canadian Figure Skating Association wouldn't work. "I told them I could take care of the bill with VISA or travellers' cheques, but they wanted cash... but I wasn't about to leave Anne there in the hospi- tal to go to the bank." The pair tallied up all the cash they had on hand, and came up with approx- imately $350 American and Croatian funds. "We had enough to pay the bill, and after that we literally only had a couple of Canadian dollars left," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. Once out of the hospital, however, their fortune did not change for the bet- ter. "We got to the airport and found out they didn't have tickets for us; we had to chase down some people at the air- lines and talk to them before we finally could get tickets and get on the plane," she said. "When we landed in Frankfurt, Germany we were supposed to have a wheelchair for Anne, but of course there wasn't one. "And once we got in the air and were going home -- we were right over the Atlantic -- some guy stood up and went to one of the doors and said he was going to open it and jump and he didn't care how many people he took with him," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. Another passenger suffered a heart attack during the flight. "I bet you've never seen two people more happy to see a Canadian airport." Back home, after a couple days of rest and recuperation, the skaters returned to the ice under the watchful eye of Mrs. Forder McLaughlin. "Nothing fazes them; they had a cou- ple of days off and they were back at the rink" in preparation for another trip overseas, this time to Bled, Slovenia later this month, she said. "Pll think about it, when we go back over to Europe, but we can't let that one bad experience ruin our competitions," said Mrs. Forder-McLaughlin. "These two have a future; they went to the last competition looking for expe- rience, and they came home with a bronze medal. "I felt really hopeless to do anything over there last time because of the lan- -guage barrier, but hopefully everything will be all right this time." 18 years ago, a member has been named Rotarian of the Year, and has also been onted the prestigious Paul Harris presente At the Rotary Club's Past President Dinner Friday night Aubrey Oppers, a member for seven years, was presented with the two awards. The Rotarian of the Year award was given to Mr. Oppers by Rotarian Glenn Van Camp. Fro "It's an honour to give this award to a member who has real Rotarian quali- ties," Mr, Van Camp said. : _. The celebrations Friday night includ- ed the honouring of past-president Myles O'Riordan and his accom lish- ments. Presenting Mr. Oppers with the Paul Harris Award, Mr. O'Riordan said Mr. Oppers "has continually supported bar offorta". The Paul Harris Award, ur dor of Rotary, is the _ For the first time ever since the For the first time much," said Mr. Oppers said. "They are inception of the Port Perry Rotary Club very special to me, bu run Artfest without the support of my wife, Barb, and the help of fellow "Rotarian, Bill Beare." the guests. Afterward Roi John Bouwhuis presented Mr. Girvan "with a $100 cheque which will go towards the Also during the evening, Port Perry Marina owner John Mackie was recog- nized. Since the inception of the Aquarama Easter Seals fundraiser, Mr. Mackie has been instrumental 'in its success. Hy "John has donated his staff; gas, time and machines. We could not have run a successful Aquarama every year with- out his support and enthusiasm," said club member Heather Hailburton- Smith. Aquarama has raised over $52,000 for Easter Seals and other chil- dren's charities, Recognition was paid to others, too. During the social hour before dinner the that during seven years with the club, - PPHS Grade 11 guitar class, under the " ut I could not have direction of Gordon Girvan, entertained A .. Girvan $100 school's a music programs. 3 N E,