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4 EDITORIAL with Traci Gardner THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012 Staying safe on Halloween Jack-o-lanterns and costumed kids are among the many things people instantly associate with Halloween. So is the tradition of trick-or-treating, where kids go door-to-door asking for treats that may make dentists cringe. While trick-or-treating is something most kids love, for parents the safety concerns can be overwhelming. Kids innocently knocking on strangers' doors and asking for candy is not necessarily the safest way a child can spend a brisk fall evening. But parents concerned about their children trick-or-treating can embrace several fun alternatives to trickor-treating that still embody the spirit of Halloween. Consider hosting a Haunted House party for your children and their friends. A haunted house allows children to dress up in their costumes and enjoy their favourite treats while being scared witless. At the end of the night, award the child who had the best costume, and be sure to send each child home with a package of goodies. Go the retail route. Recognizing the safety concerns associated with traditional trick-or-treating, some of Acton and area stores open their doors to costumed kids on Halloween. Once kids complete their jaunts through the stores or businesses, they're likely to head home with a bag filled with goodies and maybe even some coupons or gift certificates to their favourite stores. Also of course, don't forget the Acton BIA's Trick or Treat on Mill & Main Street on Saturday, October 27 starting at 1pm till 3pm. A fun and safe way for kids aged 1-12 to get a start on the Halloween festivities. LONG DISTANCE SWIMMER: Nathan Jankowski , (6) of Acton enjoyed a swim on Friday's PA Day Free Swim at the Acton Indoor Pool with his grandfather Richard Czarnecki, who is visiting from Poland ­ Frances Learment photo Fairs play an important role in our communities To the Editor, Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the Fall Fairs in Acton, Georgetown and Milton. The Fall Fairs provide a great opportunity for residents to come together and celebrate our agricultural traditions. The Fairs also offer the chance for our younger generations and families new to this area to learn why agriculture is such a critical part of this community. This year, our booth featured Simply Local, your guide to finding all of the farm-fresh produce, nursery products and recreational activities that Halton farms have to offer. We also had copies of Halton's Cycling Map, information about recycling and waste, air quality, well water testing, West Nile virus and more. If you missed us, you can always dial 311 or visit www.halton.ca to request a brochure or learn Looking Back Ten Years Ago · A "brazen" sneak thief took advantage of unseasonably warm weather to enter two residences through unlocked windows and steal valuables while the families slept. · The Acton Meals on Wheels program celebrated 25 years of local service, providing clients with hot, nutritious meals, delivered right to the door. Five Years Ago · Scores of former students, family and friends helped rural Acton's Kathleen Lawson celebrate her 90th birthday. · Eden Mills announced it will attempt to become Canada's first carbon neutral community, reducing energy consumption and costs and championing sustainability. more. If you have any Regional concerns or comments you would like to share, please feel free to email me at gary.carr@ halton.ca. You can also find me on Twitter @garycarrhalton or on Facebook. To receive further updates on Regional issues, please subscribe to my quarterly e-newsletter, "The Carr Report." Sincerely, Gary Carr Regional Chair Publisher Ted Tyler Editor Frances Learment Angela Tyler Distributed to every home in Acton and area, as well as adjoining communities. Every effort will be made to see advertising copy, neatly presented, is correctly printed. The publisher assumes no financial responsibility for typographical errors or omissions in advertising, but will gladly reprint without charge that part of an advertisement in which an error may occur provided a claim is made within five days of publication. All articles, advertisements and graphic artwork appearing in The New Tanner is copyrighted. Any usage, reproduction or publication of these items, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of the publisher of The New Tanner is a copyright infringement and subject to legal action. Editorial Contributors email: thenewtanner@on.aibn.com 373 Queen Street East, Unit 1 Acton, Ontario L7J 2N2 Advertising and Circulation Marie Shadbolt (519) 853-0051 Fax: (519) 853-0052 Composing Traci Gardner, Iain Brennan Typesetting Melissa Paul