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6 - "WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2000 PUBLISHER................ J. Peter Hvidsten GENERAL MGR.......... Don Macleod MANAGING EDITOR.. Jeff Mitchell OFFICE MANAGER... Gayle Stapley ADVERTISING MGR...Deb McEachemn Aocna Member Ontario Community REPORTER................. Chris Hall Newspaper Assoc. Fiseiance rips: toallier McCrae, John 8. MeClpliar, Published every Friday by the Port Perry Star Company Limited, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ontario - L9L 1B7 PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 E-MAIL: port.perry.star@sympatico.ca WEEKEND STAR Member Distributed free in the following communities: Port Perry - Uxbridge - Sunderland - Little Britain - RR Lindsay Janetville Oakwood - Manilla - Seagrave - Greenbank - Brooklin - Ashburn - Columbus - RR Oshawa Caesarea - Blackstock - Raglan - Nestleton - Yelverton - Prince Albert ay FORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by cokumnists, contibutors and leter writers are not necessarily those of The Port Perty Sta. Letters must be signed and the telephone number (which will not ba published) included. Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only there is a compeling reason to do 50. ENors Conran aioe a brought lo the edior' altenon. We reserve the ight 0 edt of refuse publcaton of any material submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: The publisher i not aie fo sight changes or ypogaphical rors thal do nt lessen tha value ofan advertisement Tho publisher is hol abi or ther 670rs of omissions i connection with any advertisement in any subsequentissue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement All aims of error in publication must be made by Wednesday, noon, prior to the next week's publication, and, if not made, will not be considered. No claim will be allowed for more than one nsertion. Canadian gems {ou CNA Gallen. | Association ADVERTISING: Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, BUSINESS OFFICE: Judy Ashby, Kathy Dudley, Janet Rankin, Lesley West, Heather Gail Morse, Heather McGregor, Linda Clarke, Janet Archer, Malcolm Lennox, Lisa Monk PRODUCTION MANAGER: Pamela Hickey Production Staff: Trudy Empringham, Daryle Wright, Arlene Cheel, Richard Drew OPINION A timid response Trustees with the Durham District Board of Education are right to question the level of funding coming from the province for special education this year (Story, page 2). Despite the province's grand announcement a few months ago of millions of dollars in new funding for special ed, and growing enrollment in those programs here, the local public board must continue to divert funding from other areas to prop up these programs. It is part of the board's mandate to provide schooling to chil- dren with special needs, be they measures to accommodate physical or learning impediments, or programs for gifted children. No child is to be left out. And to their credit, trustees and staff at the Durham board have passionately defended their special ed programs, for which the board has gained renown. So we have to wonder why now, when they think they're being short-changed by the province, that their response is so timid? A hand-delivered letter to Premier Mike Harris is fine, but will it accomplish anything? A delegation of staff and trustees paying a visit to Education Minister Janet Ecker's office (she's also MPP in Uxbridge) would be far more likely to do the trick. and while they're at it, they should include some of those special needs kids, and the parents who fight daily for their rights. It's too important an issue for a low-key response. BOY, 17'S MUGGY IN THE. HOUSE TODAY! You SAID 1T! WE SHOULD CRANK OUR CEILING FANS UP Tt ALL OF THEM™ WELL, THAT'S NICE BREEZE! FF al Gloria Collins sent in this picture of Chris Collins and son Tyler, enjoying an idyllic time together, fishing. if you have an interesting picture we could use for Photo of the Week, please drop it by The Star office, or give us a call at 985-7383. Thanks so much to an honest shopper To the Editor: Thank you, Thank you, Thank you I wish I could thank you in person. I was shopping in Zehrs on Tuesday after- noon. A $100 and a $20 Zehrs gift certificate fell out of my shopping list folder undetect- ed until I got to the cashier to pay for my purchases. When I discovered them missing I figured that someone had found them and had enjoyed or would enjoy a free shopping spree at my expense. But after some enquiries they were returned to me. Someone had found them and turned them in. Only in Canada and only in Uxbridge. Pity. All the discussions about God existing or not existing that have graced this paper of late - I think you've all missed the point - God may or may not exist as the separate entity that many of you perceive and pray to - but God exists in the goodness and kindness and moral correctness in the everyday activities of a few very special people. A little background on the certificates ..... They were the reward | received from the MS Society for raising $1,200 in the Multiple Sclerosis Supercities Walk. | walked here in Uxbridge. I have MS but am very very lucky to have a mild case that so far remains mostly in remittance. While | can still walk (albeit sometimes with a cane and always slow and uncoordinated; rather like a drunk) I will do whatever I can to help find a cure. Although I am only 40 | am col- lecting a disability pension because of the extreme fatigue of MS that makes it impos- sible for me to work. These gift certificates will help stretch my limited budget. With all my heart I thank you - all I can 'offer is the promise that I will do a similar good deed should the opportunity ever present itself to me. Chris (Christine) Trowse, Uxbridge Letter of thanks omitted an important group To the Editor: Regarding the Ontario Summer Games letter to the editor (Aug. 29) thanking all volunteers, firefighters, police and custo- dians on the night shift. Oops ... we wish to graciously thank the day shift people too. You are not easily forgotten. Cheers to you all. Monique Howat, Ontario Summer Games Site Coordinator, Port Perry High School -- EE srt i i A SII A» IE DI CRE Le