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Page’4 — Halton Hills This Week, Tuesday; December 21; 1993 pinion HIS WEEN Georgetown, Ont. L7G 481, QE. Web Printing. this pytigh 1ced 0 newspaper. ‘ies at wrong price, goods or services may not be Sok. Advertsing is merely an offero sell which may be withdrawn at anytime. PUBLISHER: Ken Bellamy OFFICE MANAGER: Jean Shewell Plan for holiday safety It may not seem like it, but the holiday season is almost upon us. Before you and your family get caught up in the hustle and bustle tradition- ally associated with this hectic time of year, keep in mind that now is a good time to start planning for Yuletide safety in and around your home. Don’t wait until a mishap happens to realize that you should have replaced that frayed exten- sion cord you use for the tree lights - or that you should have had the fireplace chimney checked and cleaned before lighting the first fire of the season. By thinking and planning ahead now, you can relieve yourself of a good deal of seasonal stress and ensure that your home is safe and ready for the arrival of the holidays. Check for Damage and Fraying To start with, go through your boxes of deco- rations now to see if everything is in proper working order. Check strings of lights by plug- ging them in. Remove and replace any worn- out bulbs. Take a good look at the wires on light strands for signs of wear and tear. Any Strings that are frayed should be disposed of because these can pose a potential fire hazard. It’s also a good idea to get rid of any light strands that appear to be helplessly twisted or mangled. After all, it’s not worth the risk of a possible hazard. Check any extension cords you plan to use either. for-your:Christmas.tree or for outdoor decorating. Make sure that they are in good condition. When decorating outdoors, don’t use anything but lights and extension cords that are specifically designed for outdoor use. Provide for space If Christmas decorating is synonymous with major upheaval in your home, make sure you have adequate space to store excess clutter until the holi- days are over. Accidents happen more easily when things become too crammed - particularly if you’re planning on doing a lot of entertaining. Plan to keep hallways, stairwells and staircases clear of excess decoration and other paraphernalia. Check Fireplace If you haven’t had your fireplace checked or cleaned by a qualified professional for a while, it’s a can cause chimney fires. Creosote may appear in the form of dry, flaky deposits clinging to the chimney liner, or a shiny, glazed coating which resembles black paint. If you plan to use your fireplace a great deal over the holidays, avoid draping flammable decorations (garlands, etc.) along the mantle. Keep Christmas stockings well away from the fire as well - and be sure someone is always in the room when the fire- place is being used. Caring for Your Tree When it does come time to put up your tree, choose a spot that’s well out of the direct line of traffic in your home. If you have a small house, it’s a good idea to choose a relatively small tree. Also, be sure to use a sturdy tree stand. Ideally, you should try to place your tree close to an electrical outlet if you plan to decorate it with lights. This way, you won’t have to run a number of extension cords across the floor. If you purchase a fresh cut real tree, be sure to water it regularly and inspect branches for signs of dryness. If you’re going to be away for part of the holidays, make sure you arrange for someone to water it for you, or opt for an artificial tree. This article is provided by local Realtors and the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) for the benefit of consumers in the real estate market. The People’s Cor HALTON HILLS THIS WEEK IS INE: 873-2254 EDITOR: Colin 3 CIRCULATION MANAGER: Marie Shadbolt Gibson .Y OWNED & Insurance should benefit the players To the Editor: In almost every local paper Tread about the dispute and settlement between the OMHA and CAHA regard- ing insurance. In March 1992 while play- ing for the OMHA Juvenile Acton team, my son suffered a broken neck as the result of an illegal check from behind. He has gone through two major surgeries, each lasting over four hours. He has Seniors offer thanks To the Editor: May we, through “The People’s Corner”, take the opportunity for TI Georgetown and District Seniors Association to extend seasons greetings and a year-end thank you to all in the Halton Hills community who have supported our association and its endeav- ors ° S. To our over 700 faithful members, your contributions and participation is now at this time showing a positive promise of results. To the community at large, busi- ness, private and service groups, your tangible support and recognition has been invaluable and encouraging. We recognize and appreci- ate the positive attitude of our town, the mayor, the members of council and ded- icated staff toward the goal of a services, social and recreation centre for seniors. ‘And to you, Mr. Editor, your staff and your newspaper, our very real appreciation for your generous help in pro- viding a means of communi- cation and publicity. It is impossible to name all those individuals and organi- zations, who have helped our association in its purpose. but you know who you are and realize what your help has meant. Our thanks for the year past and our best wishes for the coming year. TI Georgetown and District Seniors Association Ross Bethel, Vice-President good idea to get it inspected. A buildup of creosote } Deposit charge is garbage! To the Editor: I have just read that we tural residents are going to be charged $5 to deposit our garbage at the Milton landfill site. The comments of our councillors seems to suggest that up to now we have been subsidized by the property taxes paid by town dwellers. My household pays over $6,000 a year in property taxes to the town of Milton. For this, we receive no water supply and no sewers, and have minimal police presence. We drive on unpaved roads, with no street lights. We have no children in the school sys- tem, which is just as well, because our roads will now not be plowed overnight to allow school buses to run. Now, it is not enough that we are expected to drive 50 kilometres to dispose of our own garbage and stand out in all weathers separating our recyclables, and dropping cans and bottles into igloos one at a time, but we have to pay for the privilege. Councillors should not be surprised if rural residents find other solutions. May I suggest, in the interests of the environment, that we find out when Mayor Miller has his free garbage pick-up, and take our bags along to his front lawn. Jo Phenix Acton screws and wire in his neck. He will never play another contact sport again; he will probably never be able to pursue the career he desired. For this, the OMHA insur- ance awarded him $150. Will the insurance policy in place now help the players or. will the extra money the parents have to pay help pro- tect its executive and mem- bers against the possibility of legal action? There is no doubt in my mind that the insurance poli- cy has to be worked out structurally. However, it should be to benefit the play- ers. Sandra Jarbeau Acton Rural residents really get dumped on To the Editor: Tt amazes me that I hear so much in your paper about our elected representatives ago- nizing over one per cent tax increases. Next year, many tural residents are being hit with an effective tax increase of $260 a year. For me, this represents a 23 per cent increase in the money I pay the region and town current- ly. This seems like a lot of money for the privilege of driving garbage to the Regional Container Station each week. I find it inconsistent for the regional government to argue. that this is a user charge “to help offset the related costs”. This from the people that brought us MVA that ties taxes to speculative property values and ignores all user costs. I would encourage your Paper to perform some inves- tigative reporting into this subject. We need to know that the additional tax urban residents pay for collection is roughly equal to $260 a year. This calculation should include only the disposal costs by factoring out the cost of curbside pickup. Tom Bradshaw, Acton Christmas To the Editor: The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Acton! On Thursday past, 130 blood donors gave the best gift pos- sible — themselves, and asa result, up to 520 people may benefit from their donations: lere are sO many ways that people can spend time after work at this time of year that we are proud and thankful that our donors make the clinic a priority: Volunteer registrars, phon- _ ers, refreshment ladies and walkers all helped to make this clinic run as smoothly as = 8 . spirit alive possible. Thanks to each one of you for your commitment of time and energy. Thanks go to the Walker Masonic Lodge for their gen- erosity as sponsors, to Tim Horton Donuts for a major contribution of refreshments and to all of the local busi- nesses that help in promoting our clinics, To one and all a Merry Christmas and our best wish- es for a rejuvenating holiday season. rey Moon Acton Blood Clinic Convener Cc Halton Hills This Week welcomes your letters. Letters must be signed and include your full name and ress. Names will be withheld on fequest. Halton Hills This Week reserves the right to edit, revis reject any letters on the basis of fac: tual errors, punctuation, spelling as a result of space limita tions. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are not necessarily those of Halton Hills This Week or its employees. Send your letters to: The Editor, Halton Hills This Week, 232 Guelph St., Unit 9, Georgetown, ON, L7G 4B1 Dale Wood conducted the Geor; through Handel’s Messiah to an e1 Catholic Church in Georgetown. 22 7 . Handel’s Messiah performed ‘getown Choral Society and Etobicoke Symphony nthralled audience last Friday at Holy Cross photo by Simon Wilson/HHTW Roman