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4 THE NEW TANNER THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2013 MASONIC MILESTONE: Acton resident David Dills, shown second from right with wife Kay Dills, was honoured recently with a 60-year Mason service pin. Dills joined Acton's Walker Friendship Masonic Lodge in Acton in 1951 ­ it amalgamated with the Georgetown Friendship Lodge in 2006. The service p i n w a s p re s e n t e d b y Worshipful Brother Jason Mansfield (left) Master of the Lodge, and Right Worshipful Brother Davis Cowell, District Deputy Grand Master, Wellington District. ­ Submitted photo Editorial with Frances Learment Carnival and Christian Unity Never let it be said that Acton doesn't know how to party, and pray. Prospect Park was filled with happy families and funseekers on Sunday for the second annual Acton BIA Winter Carnival ­ a day of outdoor fun ­ most of it free. From a dance to pancake breakfast and chili cook-off, there were also indoor events for all ages and interests at the Acton Town Hall Centre ­ events that were well-planned and attended, executed with minimal fuss and maximum frivolity. Congrats to all those who made it happen. *** Congrats as well to members of the Acton Ministerial Association for organizing another successful Ecumenical Service for Christian Unity at the Legion on Sunday. The congregations of Acton's churches joined in worship to pray for justice, based on this year's theme, the biblical test Micah 6:8. "The Lord has shown you what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." From the pulpit to the Park, it was a great weekend which reflected Acton's inclusive community spirit. Weather confusion Mother Nature - are you serious? -25 degree temperatures for a week and it was brutal because we haven't been used to it for a long while; then you give us this flash dump of snow in a matter of hours providing our Region with its first school snow day in years (or what it feels like) then we get 15+ mm of rain followed by +10 degrees, then the next day it is supposed to drop again to -12. Seriously...what the heck is going on? The other day during the freeze- your- duff- off week, mom and I were talking about how our winters have changed. Ironically it was almost to the day many decades ago that my grandfather passed away. I still remember the day vividly because the snow was as high as the stop sign in front of our house, and so much snow came down that day the schools closed early ­ something unheard of. As my mom and I talked while we were on our drive, she commented about how much snow was there going into Guelph. So much snow...funny, it was about six inches. Years ago so much snow would have been reBy Angela Tyler ferring to four or five feet. The weather is just so darn confusing. There are two jobs I wouldn't want - one a "weather man" (or person). Can you imagine the flack those people get at a party for bad predictions? How many times have you gone to bed after watching the nightly news with a top story of a major snow storm, to find in the morning it is not snowing, and is sunny and pretty warm? Just before the freeze your duff off week, during one of those "unseasonably warm" days I saw people wearing shorts. Seriously? Shorts? Okay, it might have been warmish, but I thought definitely not shorts weather. Then I put it into a different perspective. I thought about my travels to the Sunshine State and during some of those trips it was unseasonably cold. For the natives, it was winter time. They wore what we do during winter; boots and Past Pages 10 YEARS AGO · Another doctor ­ looking for a small town to open a practice ­ visited Acton with the thought of joining the community which has been deemed under-serviced by the Ministry of Heath. · For the first time in almost 15 years, Acton Agricultural Society official reported the Fall Fair was "not profitable" after expenses were deducted from the gate, concession and beer tent revenues. FIVE YEARS AGO ·Acton quarry neighbours were left with many questions about their well water following an public open house hosted by Dufferin Aggregates. · Acton's Heather McIsaac punched her way to a Canadian title in the 48-kilo category at a female amateur boxing tournament. coats however, for those silly Canadians like me we were wandering around in shorts and flip flops being just being thankful there wasn't any snow on the ground. Many times this winter the weather has been warm, and if I was in Florida I would have been wearing sandals, so why was it so shocking to see a guy in shorts? I feel bad for our kids though. I want them to play in the snow. I want Little J to make snow angels in snow, and not just try to in the bubbles during bath time. When we went tobogganing a few weeks ago they barely knew how to walk with snow boots and a snow suit. How un-Canadian is that? I would rather see a foot of snow in our front yard from November to April then a week of cold, then a week of rain, then snow, and in the end there is nothing much but mud and a lot of sick people with the flu blaming the weather. Then again, how un-Canadian would I be if I wasn't grumbling about the weather and how the weather man can never get it right? 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