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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday November 18, 2006 - 17 Be a Santa to a Senior at Christmas By Sabrina Byrnes OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF ATHENA winner at prayer breakfast The 23rd Annual Oakville Prayer Breakfast will be held Dec. 6 at the Oakville Convention Centre with guest speaker Dr. Brenda Zimmerman, recent recipient of the 2006 ATHENA Award. Zimmerman is an associate professor at York University, Director of the Health Industry Program and the HIV/AIDS Strategy Studies for MBA students. She has written many articles and books and has spoken at conferences across North America and Europe. The Oakville Prayer Breakfast is a time where business, government and community leaders come together to share their faith in God. The breakfast has now grown to over 600 people in attendance. The breakfast begins at 7:15 a.m. at the Oakville Convention Centre located at 2515 Wyecroft R. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance by calling 905-825-1832 or 905-849-4654. As families and their children gather around Christmas morning to open gifts and celebrate the holidays together, there are many members of the community that are left to celebrate alone, including our seniors. "They're the one jewel of our society that tends to be forgotten about," said Tom Chuchmach, co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care and committee member of the Be a Santa to a Senior program. Home Instead Senior Care in Oakville is one of 700 franchises across North America. This is the second year that this franchise has taken part in the program, that started three years ago at its head office. The Be a Santa to a Senior program which is in partnership with the Willow Foundation, works with several participating Halton merchants. A Christmas tree is placed in the participating stores and is decorated with paper ornaments that has a specific gift written on it. Shoppers coming into those stores can take the ornaments off the tree, purchase the mentioned gift and leave it at the customer service desk where they will later be picked up and wrapped at the gift wrapping party. "The Willow Foundation was the first group to really step up," said Chuchmach, who mentioned that during their first year the program almost fell through because they couldn't get names of seniors that could benefit, because of privacy issues. "With their help we've managed to look after all the seniors throughout the three Halton Long-term Care Facilities, which are supported by the Willow Foundation. That would be Allendale, Post Inn and Creekway," said Chuchmac, adding that through the Willow Foundation the program has also been put into contact with supportive housing in Halton. Since privacy is still a concern, a number system has been put into play. Managers of the establishments will create a list with all the Christmas wishes of the residents and assign a number to that resident so their identity will never be revealed. The numbers are placed on the paper ornament along with the Christmas wish. "We're estimating about 1,500 Christmas gifts this year. Last year we did 1,100," remarked Chuchmach, who claimed that he's received positive feedback from members of the community. "Every time I go out to a store, if I'm putting a tree up or adding more ornaments to a tree, anybody that stops by and starts asking questions they look at me and they go `What a fantastic idea'," said Chuchmach. "Christmas has been directed to children and over the years we tend to forget Legion hosts tribute show A tribute to The King and The Diamond is coming to Oakville on Dec. 1. The Oakville Legion at 79 Jones St. will be hosting an Elvis Presley and Neil Diamond tribute show. Joey Purpura's Diamond in the Rough tribute includes Neil Diamond tunes like Sweet Caroline, America, I'm a Believer and many more classics. Elvis tribute artist Will Ganzon pays tribute to the younger Presley at his prime and the height of his popularity. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets, $15, are available at the Legion bar or are $20 at the door. RON KUZYK / OAKVILLE BEAVER CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: On hand to launch the Be a Santa for a Senior program were (l-r) Scott Johnson and Tom Chuchmach, Owners of Home Instead Senior Care, Barb Kennedy, Changing Gears, co-sponsor of the event, and Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline. about our seniors," he said. Chuchmach said there are a lot of seniors who spend Christmas alone and the Be A Santa to A Senior program does make a difference. "A lot of these people are in a situation where their family members are not living close by, or their family members tend to forget about them," Chuchmach stated adding that Christmas is quite a sentimental time for seniors. "I know for a fact that a lot of them are there with a tear in their eye, or sitting there wishing that they had a bit more of a Christmas where there was family involved and dinner and that kind of thing," Chuchmach said. The program, which launched Nov. 1, runs until Dec. 9, where a gift wrapping party will be held at the Oakville Town Hall in the Atrium. The committee members, which include co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care Scott Johnson, Danna WilsonChuchmach and Barb Kennedy from Changing Gears, are still looking for more volunteers to help with the gift wrapping party and to help deliver the gifts. Students that need to complete volunteer hours will also be given documentation of the time they donated. People interested in volunteering can do so by calling Home Instead Senior Care at 905-847-8433. Participating merchants throughout Halton include four Zellers, two Walmarts, Heritage Place in Burlington and the Milton seniors' centre. For a list of specific locations, visit www.beasantatoasenior.com. WAL-MART CORRECTION NOTICE The release date of Rainbow Six Vegas for the Xbox 360 (#593222) advertised in our current flyer (expiring Nov. 24th) has been delayed. It will not be available until February. LONDON GOLD Fine Jewellery Co. Ltd. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. WAL-MART CORRECTION NOTICE The Nintendo WiiTM video games and accessories (#529253/68) advertised in our current flyer (expiring Nov. 24th) will not be available until November 19th. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. DIAMOND STUD SPECIALS .25 ct. T.W. .50 ct. T.W. .66 ct. T.W. $295 $895 $1495 Get into the spirit of the season at our Christmas Planter Workshop $ 30 · Demonstration at 10:00 am · Create your own planter to take home · Materials supplied · Contemporary or traditional design · Staff available for assistance & ideas · Dress warmly and bring gloves · Call 905.827.1872 to register spaces are limited Saturday Nov. 25th 10:00 am11:30 am .1.00 ct. T.W. $2495 per person includes taxes London Gold's diamond studs are high colour and beautiful clarity. We use 14kt & 18kt settings UPPER OAKVILLE SHOPPING CENTRE 1011 UPPER MIDDLE ROAD E. 905-337-0051 3171 Lakeshore Rd. West in Oakville www.cudmores.ca