The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Page 8— Halton Hills This Week, Tuesday, December 22, 1992 te SN oi Seasitd like to ee wish all my friends and clients a safe & happy holiday! Best wishes to all in 1993! WILDWOOD REALTY INC. BRUCE ELMSLIE Broker / Owner Sending Holiday Wishes Your Way May the season deliver an abundance of cheer! T owe my success ‘to my clients and ‘T'm grateful. May you have a Joyous Yuletide season. KATHY ELLIS Sales Rep. 873-0300 We'd like to wish all our customers a joyous Christmas and every happiness this time can bring. MARKETPLACE Holiday Hours: Open Christmas Eve until 6 p.m. CLOSED - Christmas Day Open Boxing Day (Dec. 27th) 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Open New Year's Eve until 6 p.m. CLOSED New Year's Day Family violence 4 An exciting Christmas for Jacie zB Jacie B. Palmer - Last Christmas was an exciting one for me because it was my first Christmas in print. Me, a writer! Not on your lie! If anyone had ever told me the twists and turns my life would take over the past twenty- tee years I’d never have believed *aneece I greatly appreciated The Herald’s publisher and editor for giving me the opportunity to talk to people about issues that affect you and me. In May of 1991 I didn’t have the ecutidenet to believe I could really do it but here Tam. I thank them for their concem for the women, children and fami- lies of Halton Hills. I truly believe that God opened the door to allow me to write for Halton Hills This Week. It was a call from the Distress Centre that alerted me to the fact that another newspaper was See Thank you, Judy Ras: Right away I called Ken "Bellamy and drove right up to see him. Nothing like taking charge! Ken and Scott Kline were immediately supportive. Since I'd brought along some previously published articles, I had experience to back up my ideas for the column. Despite the fact I didn’t look like I was applying for a job - there I was in dirty denim overalls and T- shirt - they were enthusiastic in embracing the theme of the column. Over the past months I’ve received letters and been referred individuals through the Distress Centre at the rate of about one per week, In all cases, I’ve responded to the best of my ability. I never give advice but simply refer individuals to appropriate ser- vices. I always wonder what hap- Pens to the women and men with whom I speak. Not one has phoned back. I sup- Pose that is a positive sign because 1 always tell them that if they’re in crisis, they can get hold of me through the Distress Centre. Mandy Shewfelt of Halton Family Services (845-3811) tells me that they have seen the needs of Georgetown area women increase dramatically during the six months they have been providing counsel- ing and group therapy for abused women here in Georgetown. The need is great! This Christmas is a very special one for me and my family. We are spending about three weeks togeth- er and hopefully enjoy some winter pursuits and, if the kids have their way...some sunshine, We've talked about the costs of holidaying but they are insistent that they don’t want much in the way of gifts this Christmas - just spending it together is enough, they tell me. We didn’t enjoy the plans we’d made last year so that makes this year even more important to us. I’m looking forward to the rest and relaxation - away from the pres- sures of work and volunteering. A time to recuperate and reflect on events of the past year. In that vein, over the past few months I’ve talked to psychologists who appreciate the contents of the column, women who are being vic- timized by children (both male and female), women who have daugh- ters who are being physically abused, men who are being victim- ized and even one male batterer. Let’s face it, we all have the ability to abuse each other and we are the only ones who can get a grip on our lives and change that. Sure, society is becoming more violent all the time but we live here and we can change that. We need to stand up and be counted. We need to say “No! We’re not going to take that any- We need to admit to our faults and accept responsibility for who we are and how we got there. This Christmas will be a lonely or hungry one for some. So many are out of work for the first time. Many are afraid of what the future holds. If you know someone who needs a hug or a meal I hope you will be there for that person or fam- ily. Have a Merry Christmas! God Bless You! Feel free to contact Jacie in confidence by directing letters to her attention at Halton Hills This Week. All correspondence will remain confidential. Jacie can be reached in person through the Distress Centre at 877-1211. Leave a message and Jacie will get back to you. | AY _cconceroun ONTARIO L7G 3HS PWINDOWS & DOORS —_ PHONEIFAX (416) 873-0236 Best Wishes and many thanks! We couldn't have done 67 MAIN STREET NORTH it without T.H. BRIGGS] UPHOLSTERY . psc in Haipsed Hsioate ti ol «Kitchen & Dining Chairs Rec. Vehicle Seats 877-9812 naught Season's Greetings from Colin & Jeannie Brookes & John & Debbie Tatham Old Bank, Main St., Georgetown