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THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1999 THE NEW TANNER GRAP| Moving day Staff at the Halton Community Credit Union can't wait for Satur- day's long-awaited, late move to their new digs at the Becker's plaza at Queen Street and Churchill Road. The old branch, which has been sold, will be closed Saturday and Monday, but customers should be able to use the drive through banking machine at the new location. "They're hoping that the (auto- mated teller) drive through is open this weekend because we have to move everything over there and shut everything down at this end," said staffer Jan Burton, adding the new 3,500-square foot buildings includes. more office and teller space and a new reception desk. Improvements are also planned for the fagade of the existing plaza, which the Credit Union now owns. Videoplex erases erotica If family movies, not erotic or X- rated videos, is what you want -- check out Acton's Videoplex which has beefed up its wholesome titles and banished 300 'adult' titles from its shelves. "As mothers ourselves, we just didn't feel it was a comfortable at- mosphere for families to come to the store," co-franchisee Janet Clarke said. She and partner Robin Williams took over the store in De- cember and decided almost imme- diately to try to drop the adult mov- ies, shelved in a partitioned off area. "We have part-timers working here and it wasn't right for them to have to go in there to put movies away and we took a stand and asked head office if we could remove them," Clarke said, adding their ar- guments that an_increase in family rentals will offset the loss from adult rentals, was convincing. Clarke said they've had compli- ments, mainly from mothers, but no complaints since removing the adult movies two weeks ago. Muscle, not meat The recent bankruptcy of Freezer Frenzy has allowed Tomas and Andrea Apulinario to flex their mus- cles expand their Personal Fitness Studios with Tomas into the store adjoining his 7 Mill Street location. That means more machines and fit- ness classes and massive weight losses for clients - several who have oe more than 75 pounds. The studio marks its one-year anniversary next month and will cel- ebrate with an open house to show off the new cardiovascular machines, joint fitness and self-defence classes and additional fitness equipment. Mill makeovers Several vacant downtown storefronts are about to get spruced up with the help of Acton's Kathy Vandermeer who has volunteered to decorate the store windows as part of the Street Smarts downtown revi- talization program. "Over a period of time if people aren't going to be renting the stores, I think that it would just help to make KEVIN the town a little bit more prosperous -- like there's some interest," Vandermeer said. Vandermeer who has a hobby decorating business -- Details & De- signs -- plans to tackle the former antique store at the north-east cor- ner of Mill and Main Streets first. Using props, some her own and some picked up at the trunk sale, Vandermeer will try to evoke an old time summer theme. "T have an old-fashioned bicycle that I'm going to decorate with a basket of flowers and I have a park bench and a picnic basket," Vandermeer said adding there are plans to decorate two other vacant store fronts -- one of them with a Leathertown theme and the other with a nostalgic soda shop theme. Tender touch Stress relief is the aim of Joyce Caldwell-Grozier who opened Touch of Harmony at 18 Mill Street East late last week, offering Reiki, hyp- notherapy, reflexology, guided im- agery and ear coning. "T offer a range of soft gentle therapeutic touch," Caldwell- Grozier, who belongs to the National Guild of America for Reiki and re- flexology, said, adding that her cli- ents have too much stress in their life and want to try an alternative for relief. Caldwell-Grozier said she's been very impressed with her welcome to Acton. "Everybody has been so friendly and Acton still has that wonderful quality of people who care -- for me, it's wonderful -- it's like food for the soul." Appointments with Caldwell- Grozier can be booked. by calling: 853-1197. Mini-olympics * Calling all egg tossers, water- melon seed spitters and Frisbee throwers. Come show your stuff at the first annual extreme mini- olympics on Monday (July19) in front of the concession stand in Pros- pect Park. Halton Hills Communi Support and Information along wit Youth Canada Services Canada is sponsoring the event which is de- signed for kids aged 9 to 14. The event is free and runs from | to 3 p.m. For details call 853-9825. Dragoons in town The Acton Legion plays host to the approximately 150 Royal Cana- dian Dragoons who will hold their annual reunion in Acton on Satur- day. Former Dragoon, Acton's Frank Spielvogel arranged last year's do at the Legion and this year the Dra- goons agreed once again, it was worth. the drive to Acton. Following a brief opening cer- emony -- with mounted Dragoons in full regalia - the Acton Citizens' Band and Fred Tosher will entertain on the lawn overlooking Fairy Lake. The public is invited to the Dra- goon's picnic barbecue, beginning at 5 p.m. Some tickets are still avail- able at 853-0910. Bandshell and bandstand... The ideal location for a bandshell (stand) in Acton would be by the creek facing the library near the old school bridge. There is a sloped, shady, seating area and lots of park- ing nearby. A traditional bandstand would do well in the centre of the area but a shell would have to be placed at the east end of the space projecting towards the library. The Site being close to the highway might attract tourist passers-by to stop if a concert was being performed. My advice to planners about erecting band-stand 'shells' is as fol- lows: if there is no local municipal band forget it. Putting up a bandshell will not magically produce a band. The money spent might better be used elsewhere. On the other hand, if there is an active municipal band a bandshell could be extensively used providing said band was consulted early in the process to insure plans are suitable. Acton is in such a happy situation but I doubt very much we will ever have one. The basic infor- mation here has been referred to Recreation and Parks as comments they solicited on their proposals. George Elliott, Bandmaster, Acton Citizens' Band GRAND OPENING: The co CT ul J = CJ cession booth in Prospect Park officially opened June 13. It is being run by the Halton Hills Community Support and Information as a fundraiser for the Acton Youth Centre with the help of a Youth Services Canada grant. Present for the ribbon cutting were MSC participant Marcel Dube, team leader Elly Tuitman, YSC participant Jason Finkelstein, HHCSI executive director Rosslyn Dowell, YSC participant Kim Lusty, YC advi- sory committee member Rev. Emrys Jenkins, Joan Waldie, participants mentor Len Tuitman, and advisory and fundraising committee member Andrew Miller. - photo supplied The recent heat wave notwith- standirig, people are generally happier when the sun is shining. A bright sunny day makes even a special event that much more en- joyable. There are even songs writ- ten about sunshine. It was no wonder, then, that Mary and I were both positively beaming on a recent beautiful sunny Friday as we pulled up to the Mississauga Living Arts Cen- tre. | must confess that our good humour was also due to a large dollop of pride. We were there, you see, to witness our daughter Christine's graduation ceremony from Sheridan College. I love graduations. The excite- ment generated by the graduands, parents, assorted siblings and friends is absolutely infectious. I never tire of hearing "Pomp and Circumstance". The Living Arts Centre is a stunning facility to hold commencement pageants in. The Sheridan staffhad everything well organized but I was initially dis- appointed to find our seats were in the first mezzanine. I like to be on the main floor where I can get close to the stage when the diplo- mas are handed out. "Not this time" I thought, as we took our seats against the balcony rail. Then we noticed there were pri- vate boxes stretching down the sides to the stage. By stealth and by guile "The Bride" and I worked our way down to the one perched just above the stage. We were so close I could almost read the M.C.'s notes. And so we were en- sconced as the suitably robed fac- ulty and students processed into the auditorium. Christine couldn't believe the seats we had secured as we smiled and nodded towards her. "The Bride" and I couldn't resist the opportunity to give the stiff-wristed wave favoured by the royal family. Given the accommo- dation it seemed appropriate. She picked up on it right away. That's seary when that happens. Your mind wanders while you're waiting for your child's big moment and I started thinking about the years gone by. An old song I used to sing to her came to mind. "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy, when skies SS Sunshine Memories The Way I See It with Mike O'Leary " are grey. I swear, she burst into the world with a smile on her face. Of all our children she was the most sweet tem- pered. Her sisters called her "Sunshine" almost from the first day she came home from the hospital. (She'll probably kill me for telling you that.) And although the girls tried to pound her inherent good nature out of her over the years, she has maintained it. Sometime I think she is too nice. Too trusting. But she has developed a sense of when oth- ers are trying to take advantage of her and learned to cut them out of her sphere. While the other girls were blonde Christine's hair came in with a de- cided auburn tint. A throwback gene, I guess, to our ancestors who came to Canada with the smell of peat still strong on their clothes. Dark hair also gave her a sense of identity. Which is often difficult when you are the middle child in a large family. She loves to hear my stories about my old Irish grandmother and my mother. (Not that I'm saying my mother was ever old, you understand. I sure as heck don't want to try and justify that when I see her in the Great Beyond.) Chris has a strong feeling for family and a great inter- est in our roots. She will become, in time, our family historian who will pass these stories on to the next gen- eration. Her school years passed quickly and 'rather uneventfully. Chris did well in her subjects but was, unfor- tunately, caught in that group who were subjected to new math and whole language learning. In her col- lege years she would finally realize how short-changed she was. But I realize now how hard it must have been for her. She would bring home a good test or project and hear "That's good honey but look at all the spelling/grammar mistakes." | realize now she must have been torn between her love for us and the re- ~ spect she had for her teacher. | have long since apologized and I hope she has forgiven me. If | had it to do all over again there would be less "buts" between us. She developed a great interest in the arts in high school. Thea- tre, music, movies - especially movies. She's an incurable ro- mantic, (we're two peas in a pod in that way.) And she's main- tained her passion for the arts to this day. So "The Bride" and I were both a little surprised when she went off to Carleton Univer- sity to study law. After two years she decided that wasn't her call- ing and she came home feeling lost about her future. Then she discovered Sheridan College and was accepted into the much sought after advertising program. Suddenly, all that creativity, all that energy was channeled into its proper course. My friends, it was every parent's dream to watch. It was like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon and spreading her wings to a new dawn. She no longer did well at school. She ex- celled. She worked hard at it and even did some layout work here at The Tanner. Those efforts paid off and that's what brought us to the Living Arts Centre to see her graduate with honours. As she walked off the stage she looked so proud. She has every right to be. That night the phone rang off the hook. All of her friends called to share in the excitement. Her friends are perhaps the hallmark of her life to date. Most of them she has known for years. Some, she has been close to since grade school. Her loyalty to them is re- paid in kind. I hope our relation- ship has evolved to the point where she considers me a mem- ber of that privileged fraternity. Now she's eagerly anticipating the start of her business career. A gentle soul in an industry known to be ruthless. My money's on her. I think she'll set them on their ears. But always, with her own unflappable style. Congratulations Christine, Your Mom, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and I are very proud of you. A fitting closing song would be "You are the Sunshine of My Life." And you always will be. ay