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OPINION Despite the vicious blast of winter weather that arrived recently, it's finally spring. Tulips and daffodils aren't far behind, a few green sprouts have already poked through the soil-- and with them come the promise of the new season. While tulips and daffodils are symbols of this season, the bright yellow sunshine-like daffodil is also a symbol of hope for the Canadian Cancer Society-- hope that cancer will be beaten. Although the winter took its toll, no matter how mild, so too has cancer. It has taken its toll, and continues to do so, with loved ones lost. Former Toronto mayor and councillor Rob Ford was remembered with a memorial service recently. Love him or not, his life was taken by cancer much too early at the age of 46. We have lost far too many residents to the vicious disease, too. Though it may be difficult to see at times, like it was to find visions of sunshine, green spaces and clear roads through the recent winter-like storms, hope springs eternal. Change will come. It always does. In the ongoing search for a cure for cancer, and much improved treatments, daffodils will be on sale this month at a number of locations. Those who purchase the blooms will be helping support the search for a cure. We each have our own reasons for buying daffodils or volunteering with the Canadian Cancer Society. Cancer touches everyone in some way. There isn't anyone who hasn't been affected by the wretched illness or lost someone special to it. Even as we shed tears because of the disease, so too must we summon our resolve and fight back. If volunteering for Daffodil Days is something you can do in that challenge, the local Canadian Cancer Society's Halton Branch would more than welcome your helping hand. Volunteers are needed to sell daffodil pins across the region. To sign up for a daffodil shift, visit halton. myccsschedule.ca or www.myccsshedule.ca. If you can't volunteer, dig deep and buy some daffodils or a pin. 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Hope in bloom 905-873-0301 Publisher: Neil Oliver General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca, 905-234-1011) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca, 905-234-1012) Managing editor: Chris Vernon (cvernon@metroland.com, 905-234-1020) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca, 905-234-1019) Classifieds/Real Estate Kristie Pells (realestate@theifp.ca, 905-234-1016) Advertising Sales Jenny Hawkins (jhawkins@theifp.ca, 905-234-1014) Jennifer Spencer (jspencer@theifp.ca, 905-234-1013) Rachael Scutt (rscutt@theifp.ca, 905-234-1015) Kelli Kosonic (kkosonic@theifp.ca, 905-234-1018) Classified Call Centre 1-800-263-6480, Fax 1-866-299-1499 classifieds@metroland.com Accounting: 1-866-773-6575 Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca, 905-234-1021) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/photographer (emaher@theifp.ca, 905-234-1023) Kathryn Boyle: Staff writer/photographer (kboyle@theifp.ca, 905-234 -1022) Composing Shelli Harrison (sharrison@theifp.ca 905-234-1017) Get the latest headlines delivered to your inbox by signing up for our twice weekly electronic newsletter. Go to www.theifp.ca and click on `Newsletter sign-up' at the bottom of the homepage. Thursday, April 14, 2016 - The IFP - Halton Hills - www.theifp.ca Town should deal with dangerous animals Letters to the editor The last time I checked you don't die you escape your office cubicles, go for a walk, get some fresh air and Vitamin D, of rabies from an unplowed street. This is or can be a matter of life and listen to the birds. death. Please bring us a new uplifting message. Debra Hayes, Give us some humour. Show us some Georgetown journalistic balance. The Independent & Free Press Page 6 We do realize that because of our smaller population that when we moved from Mississauga we might and did find our property taxes higher. We get less for the money and some things we can accept. What we should not have to accept is that if there is a rabid animal on our property (which we pay high taxes on) that the town says it's up to the home owners to deal with. This is a health and community safety issue which should be dealt with by animal control, not the local animal/pet shelter. How about we use some of the Sunshine List money to keep children and adults safe from maybe dying of rabies. Then maybe they could afford to remove dead or dying wildlife like other towns and cities. Saying it's the same as shovelling a sidewalk is really not a good example. Hey guys, lighten up The Independent and Free Press is the only local newspaper available to the residents of Georgetown. No other competitor can survive because of the Independent's connection to the Metroland/Torstar empire. Week after week we have before us the most deadly boring, downright depressing editorials, filled with cynicism and elements of despair. Always the same perspective, always the same discouraging message. Always a biting political cartoon. Even with a fairly new publisher and managing editor this has not changed It's spring folks. A time of rebirth, growth, hope and change. Why don't A. Mair, Georgetown Letters policy Letters must include the author's name, address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: cvernon@metroland.com Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 77, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1.