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4 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday,November 29, 2011 Tooth Chatter Cemetery signage improved Halton Hills Councillors Jon Hurst (left) and Bob Inglis check out the recently installed signage at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitors to the Town's main cemeteries will find it easier to find their way around thanks to new mapping recently installed at both Greenwood (Georgetown) and Fairview (Acton) Cemeteries. Developed by Recreation and Parks staff, the new signage clearly shows the various sections of the cemetery so that visitors are able to locate gravesites more easily. In addition, the signs indicate the location of the graves of some of the Town's notable residents, along with a brief history of their contributions to the Town. Photo by Ted Brown The staff at Alex Trenton's office have written a Christmas Carol and dedicated it to him! Sung to the tune of "JINGLE BELLS" "DENTURE TEETH!" Denture Teeth, Denture Teeth I make teeth all day Oh what fun, it is to make Those teeth all my own way!! Working in my lab Located all right here I make those teeth myself With my blood, sweat and tears I love to create smiles For all those people who come Some from many far away miles Just for me to make them some! Oh, Denture Teeth, Denture Teeth I make smiles all day Oh what fun, it is to make Those happy teeth all day!! Creating confident smiles since 1982. Alexander Trenton, DD, F.C.A.D. (A) Denturist Georgetown Denture Clinic, 18 Church Street, Georgetown, Ontario Study shows good food a `discretionary expense' for many Continued from pg. 1 Every year the Region's health department conducts a survey of six grocery stores in Halton to price 67 food items and determine the average price for a nutritious diet. The 2011 report shows the cost of a healthy diet for a man, 31, on Ontario Works, is $249 a month. However, with a total monthly income of $635 and the average rent for a bachelor apartment in Halton at $798, the report shows the individual is $412 short every month to cover other basic expenses. The same scenario rings true for minimum wage earners in Halton. The report show a family of four with one parent working a minimum wage job ($10.25 an hour for 40 hours a week) would have $575 left over at the end of the month to cover basic living expenses after paying rent and purchasing a nutritious diet. "In reality, people usually choose to pay their rent and other fixed expenses, e.g. heat, hydro and transportation. Food becomes a `discretionary' expense, resulting in a diet of poor nutritional value," states the report. An estimated 19,200 Halton residents experience food insecurity and turn to food banks for help. But often, donated foods lack important nutrients. "Donated food is processed longer to have a longer shelf life," said Roblin. "(Food banks) are able to accept it in large quantities and store it and redistribute it to clients. If you don't have a place to store, wash and distribute fresh food, it's a little more challenging." Roblin said local farmers will donate surpluses of fresh produce to food banks, but often the donation will be of a single item, such as pears or apples. "So you're not going to get a variety. budget item. It's a basic need but because all those other things take such a portion of your income, the money left to buy food is often what you dip into when you have an unexpected expense." Fresh Food Boxes come in three sizes. A family size box costs $17 and comes with 15 different fruits and vegetables. "(The boxes) is something that clients pay for, so it's non-stigmatizing," added Moher. When the program became volunteers packed 160 boxes a month. Today, the box count is more than 700. Aiming to provide some the area's most vulnerable residents with a healthy diet, Halton's ReFresh Foods is able to accept large donations of fresh food and store and redistribute it in a quick turnaround time. "Meat items are the most expensive and it's difficult for many families to afford," said Charlotte Redekop-Young, executive direction of Food for Life and ReFresh Foods. The organizations collect surplus perishable foods from grocery stores and restaurants and redistribute it to food banks and community agencies. "We're a complement to food banks," she said. Redekop-Young said the need for donated fresh food in Halton has grown since the agency launched in late 2008. "Many of our clients, seniors, or those on Ontario Works or disability can't afford a healthy diet." Said Roblin, "Food banks may help (residents) get some of the canned goods they need and free up some money to buy fresh food from the grocery store. But food banks are really just there as an emergency...If someone wants to follow a healthy diet, fresh fruits and vegetables are really an important part." 905-877-2359 (Across from the Library and Cultural Centre) By Cory Soal R.H.A.D. . . . Lend Me Your Ears There's hardly any aspect of our lives that doesn't have sound associations. Hearing keeps us in contact with life, with people, with the sounds of the world around us. It is a priceless gift. Sometimes our hearing fails us. Hearing loss can happen to anyone, regardless of age. Occasionally children are born with hearing defects. Hearing loss may be caused by infections, head injuries, prolonged exposure to loud noise, certain medications and of course the acting process. The latest development in hearing instruments is known as digital technology, the driving force behind computers, fax machines and satellite communications. This has transformed our lives in ways no one could have imagined. Just as the compact disc (CD) forever changed how we listen to music, new digital hearing aids are revolutionizing the way hearing health care professionals help people hear better. If you or one of your family members suspects a hearing loss, call... The Georgetown We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210 Georgetown (905) 873-6642 When we talk about fruits and vegetables you want to have a variety in your diet," she said, adding that dark orange and dark leafy green vegetables are particularly high in nutrients. Halton's Fresh Food Box program aims to make fruits and vegetables an affordable staple in diets. Launched in 2004, the program purchases produce in bulk and sells fresh food boxes at a reduced cost. "Our roots are from an anti-poverty coalition...people came together and asked what can we do to make an immediate difference in peoples' lives," said Brenda Moher, program director. While the program reaches out to priority groups-- those living on low incomes, seniors and new Canadians-- it also helps Halton's working poor. "In reality in Halton, because of the cost of housing, many people who make good wages would easily benefit from the Fresh Food Box program," said Moher. "On paper they may not look like low income, but by the time they've paid their mortgage, paid for utilities, met their basic needs, food becomes a discretionary