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Locals fear for Haitian friends Continued from pg. 1 The organization has more than 300 medical volunteers from across North America to draw upon and as of Wednesday had received numerous offers from volunteers and donations at its website (www.healinghandsforhaiti.org). The most recent mission to Haiti included Doubt and his son Travis and Karen McKenzie-Stepner, also of Georgetown, and her son Daniel in November. No one locally is currently in Haiti with Healing Hands. Also worried and eagerly awaiting news is Georgetown resident Camille Otum, who with Audrey Hoekstra, also of Georgetown, and Era Ferron of Brampton, opened the Welcome Home Children's Centre (orphanage) in Cabaret, Haiti last year. The orphanage, located about 50 miles from Port-Au-Prince, is currently home to 13 Haitian children. "I am unable to get in touch with anyone in Haiti," said Otum. She has tried to reach their agent in Port-Au-Prince and has only got his answering machine. The phone doesn't ring at the orphanage, she said. She has also been unable to reach her 80-year-old blind aunt who lives in Cabaret. Both Healing Hands for Haiti and Welcome Home Children's Centre are accepting monetary donations. To donate to Healing Hands for Haiti Eric Doubt, executive director of Healing Hands for Haiti, with Haitian youngster Martine during a recent visit to the Caribbean nation. Submitted photo visit www.healinghandsforhaiti.org, email Doubt at eric@commassoc.ca or call 905-702- 9964. To donate to Welcome Home Children's Centre visit www.welcomechildren.org or call Otum at 905-8739963 or Hoekstra 905-877-0630. Donations for Haiti earthquake victims can also be made to the Red Cross or Salvation Army. To donate to the Red Cross drop into the North Halton office at 100 Nipissing Rd., Unit 5, Milton, ON, L9T 5B2, call 905-875-1459, or mail a cheque to that address. Specify the donation is for victims of the Haiti earthquake. Donations can be made online at www.redcross.ca. Financial contributions can also be made to the Salvation Army by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769), by visiting www.SalvationArmy.ca, by mailing donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ont. M4H 1P4, or dropping off donations at any Salvation Army unit. Donors should specify their gift is to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. Seniors seek more funding from budget committee some park pathways. Daley, who was speaking on behalf of the town's two seniors' centres-- AcGeorgetown Seniors' Centre presi- ton and Georgetown-- urged the comdent John Daley was the only member mittee to set aside more money for seof the public who addressed the Hal- niors' staffing. ton Hills budget commitDaley said low staffing levtee on Delegation Night, els has been a concern for a Tuesday. number of years and is well The evening was set below the provincial average. aside for the public to bring He said volunteers who usuconcerns to the committee ally picked up the slack are (all members of council) now dwindling due to other before it begins discuscommitments, age and ill sions on the 2010 operathealth. ing budget. When the budget discusTown Treasurer Ed DeSsion begins in earnest on ousa reported that the Monday, budget commitstarting point for the 2010 tee members will debate a ED budget is slightly more than staff report recommending DESOUSA $28.5M-- a 4.9 per cent in$64,000 in provincial fundcrease over last year's buding be allocated to new staff get. Combined with Halton Region for the centres. The decision will have and Education taxes (both zero per no impact on the tax levy. cent increases), the overall tax impact DeSousa pointed out to budget comwill be 1.8 per cent. For property own- mittee members the Town budget iners that translates into an $18 increase crease is comparable to tax increases for every $100,000 of assessment. in Milton (4.3%), Oakville (4.5%) and DeSousa added that maintains the Burlington (4.9%). existing service levels with slight imBudget discussions will be held on provements in some areas such as the Monday, Jan. 18 and Jan. 19, 6 p.m. in addition of crossing guards and snow the council chambers. Council ratificaremoval on Mountainview Rd. and tion is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 25. 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