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26 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday May 11, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Honouring a great gift keep the children engaged as they signed along with him. Students of St. Luke's "I thought it was Catholic School kicked off really fun," said nineArbour Week Wednesday year-old Esther listening to a story of enviComber. ronmental respect and "It was interesting responsibility that may be to know how the earth almost as old as time itself. came and how it is A warm spring day pronow compared to how vided the perfect outdoor it was back then. I setting as Canadian learned that pollution Forestry Association is a big deal." Ambassador, Daniel N i n e - y e a r- o l d Richer, spoke to 120 Taylor Furtado had a school children about the similar eye-opening aboriginal legend entitled experience. "I learned Respect for Mother Earth. that littering is really "Respect is something bad and that Mother we need more and more Nature is really special of, but that we have less to us," she said. and less of these days," "We shouldn't be said Richer. ruining our planet." "Respect means that For George when you rent an apartSleiman the story's ment you leave the apartmessage of respect for ment the way you found it. the environment rang Mother Earth is the ultihome loud and clear. mate apartment and when "You shouldn't we leave here we have to take advantage of what DAVID LEA / OAKVILLE BEAVER leave it as it was or in betGod or Mother Nature ter shape and we're not ARBOUR DAY: Canadian Forestry Association gives you," he said. Ambassador Daniel Richer addresses students at St. doing a very good job." With the presentaRicher's story of Luke Catholic School about respecting the environment. tion complete the Respect for Mother Earth children followed "You know those amazing begins with the Creator, who in nights when the moon comes out? their teachers to the front of the his loneliness created Mother Well that's the night eye of the school where forestry students Earth and a man. Creator. He looks upon us to see if with the Town of Oakville dug a At the man's request the we've changed," said Richer. hole and planted a sapling to the Creator also created the world's "If you listen to the wind on applause of all those present. forests, rivers, animals and other those full moons you'll hear the Josey Guerin, Vice Principal of humans, but each time the song of the wolf and loon. It's been St. Luke's School, feels the day's Creator did this he set the condi- the same for many centuries. `The events helped promote the type of tion that the man could have humans are trying so hard, but values St. Luke's is trying to nurthese things as long as he showed they haven't learned yet. Please ture in its students. respect for them. "On a daily basis we teach the give them another chance.'" Eventually humans asked the students about respect for God, Although the subject of Creator to let them rule over Richer's story was of a very serious respect for self, respect for others Mother Earth and the Creator nature, he kept the mood light, and I would dare say the fourth agreed, but again set conditions. explaining at one point how the respect is now respect for the envi"You can cut down those trees Creator did not explain the nature ronment," he said. and use them. You want to build a of the river to the man until the "That was a very clear message fire for winter, go ahead, but don't man had tried to walk on it. given by Mr. Richer today and one exaggerate. Those are my cre"You see the Creator has a we try to instill in our children." ations, respect them," said Richer, great sense of humour," said John McNeil, Manager of mimicking the Creator. Forestry and Cemeteries Section Richer. "Whenever you're hungry, "You want proof just look at for the Town of Oakville, outlined whenever you want to dress your- yourselves," he said jokingly to the what he would like to see children selves you can go hunting. I have children. take away from the day's activities. told my animals to let themselves be "Trees give us so much and Having finished his story, caught on occasion, but don't exag- Richer expressed his hope that the they ask for so little in return so I gerate. Those are also my children." children present would bring think the message today for the Eager to see what humans about the environmental changes students of St. Luke's and the would do with the great gift he that would make the Creator other 19 schools participating in had given them, Richer says, the believe in humanity again. the Town's outreach program is to Creator went away for some time. "This school could change it respect trees and to learn how to On the Creator's return all. It could start here," said care for trees," he said. Mother Earth had been devastated Richer. "In return they will care for us." to such an extent the Creator The presentation and tree "You've started already. I saw it. almost turned his back on There was someone passing out planting are the latest in a series of humans permanently, but was papers on the schoolyard and I environmentally-friendly initiaconvinced at the last moment by a didn't see one paper going on the tives St. Luke's has undertaken as wolf and a loon the devastation of ground. That's helping." an Ontario Ecoschool. the earth was not the fault of all While currently holding silver The grade school children lishumans. certification for their efforts tened intently to every word of They argued humanity war- Richer's story. The sign language Guerin believes these Arbour ranted another chance and the Richer used to describe things like Week activities will give St. Luke's Creator agreed. trees, animals and fish helped to a fighting chance at gold. OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF By David Lea Download A Free How To Choose A School Checklist. www.jkcs-oakville.org SPRING EXTRAVAGANZA! 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