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ttednesdav October mi Victim of abuse finds loving family Herald Special Emerson RitchieDickinson now lives a happy existence part or a Hal ton family who love and respect him tremendously But for much of his childhood Emerson was a victim physical and emotional neglect and abuse His alcoholic mother left him at an early age In the core of his grand mother on an Indian Reserve In Georgian Bay Although he loved In i grandmother deeply Emerson was often lonely Because he was legitimate and of mixed blood he was ridiculed and ostracized by his peers on the reserve He was ter rified to walk down the street alone because of the constant taunting and beatings Inflicted upon him by other children When his mother finally to see him every month or so she would get drunk and ruin the long anticipated visit As difficult as those years were for Emerson the worst was yet to When he was 8 or years old his mother decided she wanted to tome and live her in Burl By this time she had and Emerson was devastated to discover his step father also had a severe drinking During drinking episodes would him as a punching bag and Emerson eventually came to view the beatings as an inevitable part of his life My stepfather had a short temper He would Just grab tin first thing he could find and hit with it usually his fist recalls now Emerson says he used to welcome invitations to sleep over at the homes of friends because I felt safe there felt protected when I was in their homes At my house I t sleep it night I was so scared I also wanted lo protect my two younger brothers They were scared too Despite the fact that he wis ex bright and talented son began to fall in school and also developed a habit or compulsive fouling I would look at kids and the things they had and 1 knew I would never get nice things like they had from my parents The only way I could get a bike or an electronic gadget or nice clothes was to steal them he says A turning point came in son s life when a teacher caught him trying to steal a bike when hi was in Grade 6 He was subsequently on probation for six months and began to have regular contact with a social worker who referred him to the Port Nelson Project Burl which Li after school pru for troubled adolescents Trials when I really opened up reflects Emerson of his days at Port Nelson I took the bus then every day after school I was really reliev ed to have a place to go The counsellor there took me to hockey and football and on trips to places like Niagara Falls ana the African 1 ion Safari and I became a real pool shirk competing with guys and 18 when I v only Then one day says I just got sick of it the ways things were at home I was trying it had been a particularly bad weekend at home and I just take it any more So when I went to Port Nelson on the Monday I told the everything and he was great he just took right over He said I could either go to a group hone or a foster home I thought a foster liome sounded belter than a home I was more interested In a place would love me thin I place where I have to earn puints for special privileges Emerson says Ihe part about into foster care was tell his mother and step f liber of his of his decision It hurt a bit but I Emerson as placed In spacious home of Barb and Grant Dickinson if the Village Green In Burlington The couple then had four school aged children living at home so Emerson had lots of company his own age and struck up a particularly close relationship with the sons son Paul who is now 20 1 a little scared at first remembers Emerson I came from a masonltc In the slums of Burlington to this big house In a nice neighbourhood that seemed like a mansion Unlike a lot of foster children who resent taken away from their homes and placed In foster care Emerson was grateful for the pro tection and new opportunities the ex penence afforded him In re l r pec however Emerson thinks lies a stronger more sen si live person because of the pain he endured as a child His dream now is to have a full time career as an artist His natural abilities arc evident In the paintings on display at the Dickinson home I really able to express myself through art 1 especially like to paint nature scenes and wildlife because grew up surrounded by them in Georgian Bay In recent years Emerson has helped the A by speaking to fceier parents DICKINSON Photo courtesy of niton Children Aid BANANAS 39 Product of Ontario BRUSSELS SPROUTS Product of Ontario CARROTS 5 LB BAG Georgetown 140 Guelph St Georgetown 8779473 77 Main St S Georgetown ROYAL ALBERT English Hone China OFFERS 40 OFF TO SPECIAL ORDER CHINA PATTERNS MAIN 8780050 Your Holiday to Jamaica Includes Round trip a In flight meals Compl in flight bar service Round trip transfers between airport and hotel Hotel accommodations for nights Welcome briefing Stay at the Beautiful MONTEGO BAY CLUB No purchase necessary to of The Herald and their Immediate lam Entry ballots be deposited at any A Contest closes Saturday December 5 January 6 to answer testing question No cash substitution will announced lata r No medical and hospitalization 1 For mora inloroiatton about GoHgera WITH YOUR CHAIN SAW eve YOUR CHAIN SAW ttt Srlc cm n Omni St Georgetown Sales Sendee Parts 399 Plata DR Puerto 439 da 299 Mara linn 459 Canada 1239 Cabot serving travellers since 1955 Street Georgetown Ontario j THE BOLD LOOK OF I Ambn now PLUMBING SHOWROOM OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 8772293 a COOPER EQUIPMENT LTD 3433374