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THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2007 THE NEW TANNER 11 Tanner The Regional Municipality of Halton 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 Tel: 905-825-6000 Toll Free: 1-866-4HALTON TTY: 905-827-9833 www.halton.ca NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE iRecycle I live in an apartment and collect recyclable materials in my Blue Bag and bring them down to the Blue Bins. Containers go in one Blue Bin, and papers in the other Blue Bin. I remember to keep plastic bags out of the Blue Bins. Minty Household because its easy to do. ATTEND AN OPEN HOUSE AND FIND OUT HOW CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL CAN PROTECT YOUR DRINKING WATER Halton Region delivers safe and high quality drinking water to its commercial, institutional and residential customers. Providing clean, safe drinking water is an important responsibility, and Halton is a leader in water purifi cation technology. Halton Regional Council approved the Cross-Connection Control By-Law #157-05 and the related policy, that came into effect January 1, 2006. Cross connection control or backfl ow prevention, helps to ensure that the drinking water supply is protected against the entry of contaminants, pollutants, infectious agents or other materials and substances that may enter from outside sources. Halton Region is hosting a series of Public Information Centres to provide industrial, commercial and institutional property owners and residents with information on Cross Connection and the steps you can take to prevent contamination of our drinking water supply. Cross Connection Control Program Open Houses (All meetings are from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with a presentation starting at 7:00 p.m.) Halton Hills Wednesday, May 16 Mold-Master SportsPlex, 221 Guelph Street, Georgetown Thursday, May 24 Mold-Master SportsPlex, 221 Guelph Street, Georgetown Milton Tuesday, April 24 Ramada Conference Centre, 161 Chisholm Drive Burlington Thursday, April 26 Mainway Recreation Centre, 4015 Mainway Tuesday, May 1 Mainway Recreation Centre, 4015 Mainway Thursday, May 17 Mainway Recreation Centre, 4015 Mainway Tuesday, June 5 Royal Botanical Gardens, 680 Plains Road West Oakville Thursday, April 19 Knights of Columbus, 1494 Wallace Road Wednesday, April 25 Otellos Banquet & Conference Centre, 2273 Royal Windsor Drive Thursday, May 3 Knights of Columbus, 1494 Wallace Road Thursday, May 10 Otellos Banquet & Conference Centre, 2273 Royal Windsor Drive For more information visit www.halton.ca/crossconnection or contact: Aneta Ludwig Cross-Connection Control Coordinator Tel: 905-825-6000, ext. 7458 Toll free 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866) Email: aneta.ludwig@halton.ca MEMORIES EMBLAZED: The Gunn family of ru- ral Limehouse had an interesting Saturday morning. After letting the Acton Firefighters rescue practice in an abandoned house on their property for the last few years, the Gunn family allowed the Firefighters to burn the building for training. Zoning didnt allow the fam- ily to have two houses on the property. Although the Gunns had not lived in the old farm house, they had become quite attached to it even using it for scavenger hunts for their children. - Angela Tyler photo Youth explain work of POSSE to local politicians What do people see when two young people approach a group of youths hanging out at a local hot spot? Just another gathering of way- ward youth with uncertain intentions? Or the first step in peer outreach and a con- nection that may put at-risk youth in touch with services they badly need? The first perception may be the most common one, but the local youth agen- cy that sends those young outreach workers into the community to connect with other youths is hoping to turn that around. In a move in that direc- tion, Peer Outreach Support Services and Education (POSSE) recently held an informal get-together with youth, staff and volunteers and invited members of Town Council to attend to learn more about the groups work from the young people themselves. It was a very candid dis- cussion at the first-ever meeting between politi- cians Councillor Bryan Lewis and Mayor Rick Bonnette and members of this youth-driven project. The invited guests listened intently as the youths talked about some of the chal- lenges theyve faced in their own lives, the value of the work they do with POSSE, and its role in giving their lives a focus. In the past two years, POSSE Project has trained 124 youths, its outreach workers have connected with 4,207 youth on the street, and offered support to 458 youths on issues ranging from homeless- ness to substance use and assault. POSSE, which is cur- rently into the third year of a three-year grant from the Trillium Foundation, shelters, etc.; Emergency kits are dis- tributed containing food vouchers, phone cards, and hygiene bags; The production of a youth-run magazine, The Undercroft where minds meet, with a focus on harm reduction and human rights issues, gives young people a forum to express them- selves through art or writing (contributors receive an honorarium for published work). POSSE is a harm re- duction and human rights project run by youth for youth between the ages of 15-24, living in North Halton. For more information about POSSE, contact Kimm Kent or Domenic Padula at 519-853-5908. First ever meeting with politicians is a free service provid- ing training, street level outreach, information and support to youth in North Halton, with a mandate to encourage safer decision making to reduce the risks associated with drug use, sex, homelessness, violence and discrimination. Other POSSE services include: Youth are trained in a wide variety of areas, includ- ing how to defuse violent situations, sexual health, confidentiality and legal responsibilities, anti-racism and anti-homophobia, and reducing harm associated with substance use, among others; Transportation is pro- vided to young people age 15 to 24 to food banks, court or medical appointments,