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10 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2006 E-mail: jiujitsu1@sympatico.ca Acton Jiu-Jitsu 5A MILL STREET, E. ACTON Proud member of the Canadian Jiu Jitsu Association (519)853-2424 Gain Respect, Self Confidence, Self Defense, Fitness & Fun CHECK IT OUT! Dave Dodgson and Collette Sewell are comparing the labels on products to know how to make a wise choice when it comes to controlling insu- lin levels. Collette was at the Acton Seniors Centre on Tuesday, Feb 6 giving an informative talk with Heather Eagleson. They are both diabetic educators in Halton. Julie Conroy photo FEBRUARY BLAH BEATER: Actons Keith Black turned in a droll performance singing (off-key) that people should brush up on their Shakespeare at the first annual Undertakers Ball at the Legion on Satur- day. Frances Niblock photo Fun, frivority at Feb. blah buster By Frances Niblock Joking that his parents only married so they could merge their Club Z points, and that its tough being a street-wise gansta at a horse pull, former Acton resident Jeff McEnery yuked it up at the Undertakers Ball on Saturday night at the Legion. The event, to lift spirits during the February blahs, included performances by McEnery and another former Acton High grad, fellow comedian Darren McIntyre, improv and drama students from Acton High, Keith Black, Wilma Tosh and Blue Springs Funeral Home owner Ian Pasmore. McEnery, who was encouraged to perform by his high school teacher who brought a new crop of students to per- form, was an amateur stand-up comic when he won the prestigious Yuk Yuks Great Canadian Laugh-Off last year. He now tours with Yuk Yuks, has made commercials and will perform at a Winnipeg comedy festival. Although he was cautioned to keep his act clean because it was a mixed crowd, before the show, McEnery said the fact his grandmother knows people in the audience was enough for him to edit his material. I dont know if Id ever hear the end of it if I didnt keep it clean, he said, adding its fun to work locally because everybody gets the Acton references in his act including being hassled about getting a full-time real job by an uncle who is such a shut- in that hes only heard rumours of Rockwood. McEnery confessed when his Acton High School buddies ribbed him about dating and getting to second base, he was still in his car, driving around and looking for the ball diamond. Event organizer Ian Pasmore said he was surprised and pleased with the response, and hopes the party, which drew approximately 100 people and almost broke even, becomes an an- nual event. Undertakers Ball Police/Fire Report Chimney fire Acton fire fighters re- sponded to a fire at 8:43 p.m. on Monday after a passer-by noticed sparks coming from the chimney of a house on Trafalgar Road, south of 32 Side Road. False alarm? Acton crews responded to Anthony Acres on the Fifth Line, Limehouse, for alarm activation at 1:12 on Sunday afternoon, but could not find any cause for the alarm. Truck fire Acton firefighters re- sponded to a vehicle fire on the Third Line, south of 32 Side Road at 5:02 p.m. on Thursday. The fire caused $20,000 damage to a Dodge Ram pickup truck. 15 day guarantee The Ontario government is implementing a 15-day money-back guarantee for marriage and death certificates through ServiceOntario, Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips announced this week. Whether celebrating a marriage or dealing with the loss of a loved one, Ontarians dont want to spend a lot of time filling out government forms and waiting for them to arrive, said Phillips. This announcement builds on the success of the online birth certificate service guarantee. To be eligible for these guarantees, the birth, marriage or death must already be registered with the Office of the Registrar General. Applications must be accurate and com- plete, and submitted online at www.serviceontario.ca. If an application is eligible for the guarantee and the certificate is not mailed within 15 business days, its free. Marriage and death certificates are used to prove that a marriage or death occurred in Ontario and may be needed to access insurance, health benefits and pensions. Death certificates are also often needed to settle estates. People have told us they want more convenient, timely and consistent service, and weve listened, said Phillips. Marriage and death certificate applications have been available online since July 2006. They are safe and secure, using technology similar to online banking. Clients can still submit applications by mail or in person, but these take more time to process. Those random acts of kindness You wake up today, a day like any other Febru- ary day. Still a little groggy having set your alarm early to allow enough time to dig yourself out of the mess that the storm left behind last night, only to find a cleared and salted path for your car to easily back out on. You drive up to the win- dow to pay for your morning coffee and the smiling atten- dant informs you that your order was paid for already by the driver that just left. Your boss calls an emer- gency meeting just before lunch and announces that everyone has the afternoon off. Youre in a rush and someone who senses your stress insists that you go ahead of them in line at the bank. You get home and think your garbage cans have been stolen only to find them neatly stacked beside the house. Or you arrive home weary, not feeling like making dinner, surprised to find a lovely meal waiting for you! So, is it just another day? February 12 18 marks the 13th anniversary of Random Acts of Kindness week! The possibilities are as limitless as your imaginations as to the joy that can be created in doing just one little thing this week for someone you love or even a stranger. And it isnt only the recipient who benefits; giving from our hearts feels just as good, expecting nothing in return and in some cases remain- ing anonymous. Whether it is leaving an overly generous tip for the waiter who served you, bringing a hot chocolate to the shivering crossing guard who protects your children everyday, or offering to pick up groceries for someone who doesnt have a car or is incapacitated, it feels good! And so would preparing a meal for the frazzled new mom next door, or offering to look after the kids so your friends can have a much de- served and needed romantic weekend! Those tickets you cant use for the concert or hockey game could be passed along to someone who could only ever dream of attending such an event or you could simply forgive someone in your life, having finally let go of an old grudge! Valentines Day also falls in the same week, so you could invite your fellow single friends over and cel- ebrate what you each have to offer the relationship youre bound to have this time next year! Kindness isnt measured in dollars and there is no scale to weigh the signifi- cance of how your gesture can impact someone else, especially if they are experi- encing one of those days! Lets all join in the cel- ebration of this inspirational week and witness the ex- ponential power of sharing our kindness with another human being, as the spirit of generosity spreads to millions of hearts around the world! -Jo-Anne Cutler, Author, speaker Pandemic Tool Kit A Pandemic Planning Tool Kit was released to business- es across the province to help them prepare for an influenza pandemic. Prepared by the Ontario Chamber of Com- merce, the kit will be made available to 57,000 busi- nesses across Ontario in an effort to minimize disruption to the provinces economy should a pandemic occur. Our local economy and individual businesses were impacted by the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2003 and the blackout later that same year, says Helen Mac- Cormack, President Halton Hills Chamber of Com- merce. Scientists predict an influ- enza pandemic could occur within the next few years and statistics show that few small and medium businesses have plans in place to contend with one should it occur. The Pandemic Planning Tool Kit is available elec- tronically or in hard copy from Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce or online at www.haltonhillschamber. on.ca.