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3 THE NEW TANNER WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 200 Use grant to hire staff By FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner At a time when budget constraints forced Halton Hills Community Support and Information (HHCSI) to cut rides for needy moms with handicapped kids and elimi- nate staff benefits, a $170,000 Trillium Foundation grant prompted a "mixed celebra- tion." according to HHCSI executive director Rosslyn Dowell. "The thing that's hard to explain to a client is that money that we receive is for very specific things." Dowell, who also took a pay cut to offset dwindling dollars from the Province and Region, said on Monday. "When you say to a client who needs a ride that they've given us money to build a sustainability plan, I mean, what does that mean? It means we're trying to find ways to support the client by building capacity," Dowell said. adding it's hard for HHCSI staff as well. "They've taken a signifi- cant (benefit) reduction as well, and I'm saying, 'Look, we just got this big grant, isn't that wonderful," but I can't use a penny of it to pay benefits or salaries to exist- ing staff." The grant, spread over three years, will allow HHCSI to hire a fund raiser and a da- tabase design consultant to devise ways to pay for its un- funded programs, including community support, youth programs and information services, which have an an- nual cost of approximately $172,500. HHCSI got a United Way grant of approximately $33,000 last year brought in $129,000 through fundraising and donations. "The hope is that using this money to purchase the expertise of two staff for three years and that what we'll be left with is something that's more efficient and easier to maintain to sustain our un- funded programs," Dowell said. Last Thursday night, five Halton groups, including HHCSI and Heritage Acton ($75,000), received their grants. In 1999-2000, the Foundation will award 82 grants in Halton-Peel for a total of $6.9 million. <€ Town Digest) Earth Day There will be cheap trees, tree talk, free compost and wood chips and a door prize on Saturday as the Town cel- Dr. John W. Pond -- Optometrist is pleased to announce a new associate Dr. Harvey Kader to his Acton practice. eter For Appointments: (519) 853-4300 151 Mill Street East, Acton www.johnwpond.optometry.net 8016 Hwy 7 Guelph (between Rockwood & Guelph) Licensed under LLBO ebrates Earth Day at the cen- tral works yard on Trafalgar Road. Beginning at 9 a.m. 10 va- rieties of trees -- priced at $4 and $5 -- will be for sale while supplies last and someone will win a 70-mm red oak that the Town will plant for free. Anyone wanted compost of wood chips should bring their own shovel and con- tainer beginning at 9 a.m. No divots for deaf There was nothing but. praise for the Bob Rumble As- sociation for the Deaf pro- posal to build a driving range and club house on the north west corner of Highway 25 and Five Side Road at a pub- lic meeting on the proposal last week. Easter Sunday Brunch Enjoy our Easter Brunch with a large selection of Hot & Cold Items Salads, Pastas, Desserts, etc, etc. Sunday April 23rd 10.30am to 2pm at ramosa SKestawrant OPEN 11am to 10pm Mondays to Sundays SF TM ad e-t- Late met 1tU gore NVES 10.30am to 2pm Sundays - Brunch Dont forget MNether3 Day! For reservations 763-9129 EDIBLE THANKS: The volunteers who make Acton blood donor clinics a fast and painless as possible were thanked for their help at last Thursday' clinic. With their thank you cake (which they graciously shared with the 6( people who donated blood) were, left to right: Alana McCoig, Christine Vai Opstal, Eva Cutting, May Hoare, Fritz de Haan, Julia Roehrig (clinic chair) Em Finally, Bette Footitt and Joyce Buchanan. -- Frances Niblock photo Discuss skate park plans A good turnout is ex- pected at tonight's (Wednes- day) meeting to discuss plans for a skateboard in Acton. That meeting is at 7 p.m. at Acton High School. One Acton mom, Julia Roberts, knows there's a lot of interest in the suggestion, especially since a well-used homemade ramp behind the Scout House was vandalized and burned to the ground. Her seven-year-old son Dayne, has had his skate- boarding confined to the front porch since that ramp burned. "He's been bothering me to drive him to Georgetown, but I don't want to drive him that distance all the time, so I think it's great that there could be a park built here in Acton," Roberts said on Fri- day, adding she's ready and willing to help with fundraising. Stacey Green, the Town's recreation supervisor, said Georgetown facility was built following complaints that skateboarders ignored a town bylaw prohibiting them on the street. Initially, a community group known as SIBAHH (Skateboarders, In-line skat- ers, BMX bikers Association of Halton Hills) attempted to raise all of the money for the 3 but after raising just 18,000 in two years, Town Council stepped in and paid the difference. Open Good Friday 10 - 4pm Saturday 9 - 5pm Open Easter Sunday 10 - 4pm Skateboard parks are not cheap with a high-end facil- ity costing $200,000 and a portable ramp about $25,000. The Georgetown skate park by Alcott arena is a $75,000 base level facility that Green said is already too small for those who have mastered it and is crowded, but it works. "Tt really moved the major- ity of kids off the streets into the park and all the com- aints stopped." E Different options will be discussed at the meeting, in cluding a portable trailer witl ramps, "a more affordable goal" for Acton, for now Green suggested, like wa: done in Georgetown. The eprom facility hasn't had < ot of success in Kitchener o1 Waterloo where its beer tested, Green said, because ot problems with the ramps, neec for its own truck and trailer and set-up crew. Burlington and Oakville recently built $200,000 facili- ties. Benefit planned in memo Had Emma Darlene Hunter lived, it would have been her sixth birthday party that drew her Acton family and friends a next Saturday (April Instead, in Emma's memory, that same group will attend the second annual fundraising concert to benefit cancer research at The Hos- pital for Sick Children. Emma's 14-year-old sister Cassie, is credited with nam- ing the family coffee/house concert "Songs for Hope 2" and mom, Wendi Hunter, says music was, and is, a big part of their lives. The Hunters also have a son, Mac, 11. "I'm in a folk band and Flower é & Gift of Emma have always had satisfaction from music, especially since Emma died, and the concert isa good thing for us as a fam- ily because we all get in- volved -- all doing something together in her memory, Hunter said on Friday, outlin- ing plans for the event at St. Paul's Parish Hall in Norval. Each of three acts will in- clude music for kids and it's very much a family show. There will also be door prizes and light refreshments. Hunter said Emma liked music, but on her own terms. "She didn't like anyone else singing. She was funny. You put on her favourite movie or tape and you'd want to sing along and she'd yell. "No singing!" Hunter remem- bered, adding they spent a lot of time listening to music in the car on their trips back and forth to Sick Kids. Emma, who lived in Crewson's Corners, (the fam- ily now lives in Acton) died Jan. 3, 1997 and the Hunters knew they wanted to do fundraising in Emma's memory. BOYES PLUMBING Water Softener 855-4232