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

THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2011 THE NEW TANNER 7 GRAPEVINE Black Belts Congrats to Acton's Krystina Minicuci whose hard work and dedication earned her a Black Belt at a recent Grading held at Acton Jiu-Jitsu. The 17-year-old Christ the King student began training with Acton Sensei Linda Squires seven years ago, and helps teach children's classes at the Mill Street dojo. At that same Grading, Sensei Squires earned a 5th degree Black Belt. Youth focus groups Consultants drafting a Youth Needs Study will talk with Acton teens today (Thursday) during a youth focus group at Acton High School, one of three such meetings in Acton and Georgetown as the Town's consultant finds out what youth need and want in the way of services, programs and centres. The consultant also held a service provider and parent focus group meeting last night at the Gellert Centre. The consultant will set up a Youth Needs Study group of teens to attend community events to hand out information and encourage youths to complete the Facebook polls. Simple tech Unsure how to operate an eReader or camcorder? The Halton Hills library can help with its Technology Made Simple series with hands-on experience at the Acton branch on June 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. The computer workshop series is free, and meets monthly. For more information call 905-8732681, ex. 2515. Celebrating seniors June is Seniors Month ­ a chance to celebrate and support the 11,200 Halton Hills residents ­ that's 20 per cent of the population ­ who are 55 or older. Both the Acton and Georgetown Seniors Centres have special events slated this month ­ on June 30 the Acton Seniors Centre will host a seniors dinner and all are welcome ­ tickets are available at the Centre. Band offers Exotica Wonder what you'd hear at an Exotica concert? Check out Bethel Church on Sunday when the Acton Citizens Band offers music, which meets the definition of Exotica ­ rare, foreign and sometimes historic and valuable. The acoustics of the Christian Reformed Church showcase the Band, under the baton of Bandmaster Dr. George Elliott. The music will include Bells Across the Meadows, the most popular British light concert music, written by Albert Ketelby, the first musician to make a million dollars writing music. Also on the play list are Panther in the Sky to honour Chief Tecumseh, and Crown Imperial, a march composed for the Coronation of George VI, and most recently heard in Westminster Abbey as the recessional music at Will and Kate's wedding. The show, a fundraiser for Acton FoodShare begins at 2 p.m., and free will offerings of nonperishable food or cash would be gratefully accepted. Future focus The Reverend Linda Corry will bring her grief recovery skills to Acton on Sunday as the guest speaker at an Acton Ministerial Association Service of Healing at St. Alban's Anglican Church. Reverend Corry, a life skills coach, will offer strategies to reclaim a positive future following a loss of any kind ­ loved one, job or health. Father Bob Bulbrook and the Reverend Brian Galligan will be available for prayer, laying-on of hands and anointing. Hockey trivia The Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters were a junior hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association from 1940 to 1942, and after the war from 1947 to 1960. A farm team for the New York Rangers of the NHL, the team, known as the "Biltmores" was sponsored by the Guelph Biltmore Hat Company, and home ice was Guelph Memorial Gardens. Biltmore would reward any player who scored three goals in a game the hat of their choice and some sources credit this tradition as the origin of the term hat trick. The team evolved into the Guelph Royals, and then moved to become the Kitchener Rangers, taking the name of the NHL parent club. Trunk Sale spinoff The success of Acton's Trunk Sale prompted organizers of the graduation fundraiser at Holy Cross School to stage their own trunk sale on Saturday at the Georgetown school. Twenty-one vendors have registered to date, and one of the organizers, Ashley Mancuso of Acton, said they will also have a white elephant sale. KFC closes Many were surprised with the sudden closure of the Acton KFC restaurant on Tuesday. Without apparent notice, the store did not re-open after close of business on Monday. A sign on the door apologises for any inconvenience and tells people to head to the nearest KFC in Brampton. A person who answered the phone at that location but refused to identify himself, said that Prism Brand, which owned part of the KFC parent company, had been sold, including the Acton and Georgetown franchises which were closed because of poor sales. HERITAGE GOLF: The 11th annual Mayor's Heritage Golf Tournament raised approximately $25,000 for the Heritage Foundation of Halton Hills. At Blue Springs Golf Club last Thursday, Scotiabank volunteers Tammy Scott (right) and Ann Stevenson, registered Dr. Dana Selby, one of 120 golfers, with Mayor Rick Bonnette and Foundation volunteer Kathy Sanford. ­ Frances Niblock photo Burn calories, not gas By David Suzuki lic transit or taxis on days when cycling A U.K. man reisn't possible. cently built a bicycle Our cities will beentirely out of wood, come more livable By David Suzuki with no plastic or and our environment metal parts. Everycleaner when more thing, including the wheels, gears, and seat, are people get out of their cars and onto their bikes. wood. Inventor Michael Thompson, who made But we still have a long way to go in Canada. the "SplinterBike" on a bet with a friend, says it Only about one per cent of trips are made by bike can travel up to 50 kilometres an hour. here (although Vancouver is higher, at about four What's amazing is that, almost 200 years after per cent), whereas in many parts of Europe, the the first two-wheeler was made, people are still number is more than 30 per cent. In Amsterdam, able to come up with innovative ideas for one 38 per cent of trips are made by bike, thanks to of the simplest and most practical and efficient pro-cycling policies adopted since the 1970s. transportation devices ever invented. Even though Resistance to change is inevitable, and in VanI'm impressed by Thompson's wooden bike, and couver we've seen some backlash against the by those with bamboo or wood frames, I'll stick expanding network of bike lanes. Many people with my old metal-frame bike. I'm just happy that still believe we should be shelling out loads of cycling is becoming more popular all the time, money for pavement and parking lots so that inand that the city where I live, Vancouver, is mak- dividual people can propel themselves to work ing life easier for cyclists. and shopping in a two-tonne emissions-spewing After all, riding a bike is good for your health machine. Others have complained that, because and the environment. As the Vancouver Area Cyc- the bike lanes were not immediately crammed ling Coalition points out in its promotion of Bike with cyclists, they're a waste of money and get in to Work Week (May 30 ­ June 5 in several Can- the way of cars and business. But as Amsterdam adian cities), cycling to work is enjoyable, helps shows, investing in cycling and pedestrian infrayou get and stay in shape, and burns off stress. structure eventually pays off in many ways. And when you consider gridlock and traffic, it's As more people take up cycling, it also becomes often as fast as or faster than driving. It's also way safer. Although, those who worry about the safety more efficient than car travel. According to the of cycling might be interested in a British MedWorldWatch Institute, a bicycle needs 35 calories ical Association study that found the health risks per passenger mile, while a car uses 1,860. of inactivity are 20 times greater than the risks Reducing your need to stop at the gas pump from cycling. is both good for the environment and for your For employers, the benefits of encouraging pocketbook, especially as gas prices continue cycling are numerous. A Dutch study found that to rise. Private automobiles create about 12 per people who cycle to work take fewer sick days, cent of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, and and research has shown they are generally happier road transportation in general creates as much and less stressed. Cyclists can also avoid traffic as one quarter. Riding a bike doesn't create any jams and are not as likely to be late for work. emissions. And it's not just gas that costs money. And bike lock-ups cost far less than car-parking Buying, insuring, and maintaining a car, not to facilities. mention paying for parking, costs thousands of Whether your bike has a state-of-the-art bamdollars a year. boo frame or is a clunky old off-roader, why not Of course, cycling isn't practical for everyone, try riding it to work, and not just during Bike to and it's not always possible to ride ­ although Work week? You'll be happy you did. I've seen my share of die-hard cyclists even on Written with contributions from David Suzuki rare Vancouver snow days. But with proper cloth- Foundation editorial and communications specialing and gear, many people can ride for most of ist Ian Hanington. the year in urban centres. And the money saved Learn more at from not driving is often enough to pay for pubwww.davidsuzuki.org. Science Matters