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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 7, 2009 - 3 Pets will be front and centre in S.A.L.T. calendar Photo contest to select the cover pet and monthly features By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER P icture your pet in a calendar. Submit photos of pets -- your pet -- for judging by Halton Cabinet Minister Lisa Raitt and other distinguished local adjudicators and perhaps they will be among the featured animals in the 2010 S.A.L.T. -- Seniors and Law Enforcement Together -- calendar. That is, if your photo entry of Fido or Fifi -- or perhaps your pet snake, turtle, fish, guinea pig or other -- strikes the judges' fancy, as only a baker's dozen will make the final 13-month calendar. S.A.L.T. has been around since 1992. It is both an advisory council and an action committee designed to work as a "sounding board" to make recommendations to police to address crime-related issues that affect seniors. S.A.L.T. serves all of Halton, but has divisions in each of Halton's four municipalities. Last year, S.A.L.T. set up the Halton Seniors Helpline (at 1-866-457-8252) to help seniors get the information they need. Seniors can turn to the help line to find information on senior services in the community, get pointed in the right direction to sort out a problem, find support or express concerns about serious issues such as physical, emotional, financial or neglect abuses. The senior volunteer members of both the help line and S.A.L.T., provide a communications link between seniors in the community and the Halton Regional Police and Ontario Provincial Police. While S.A.L.T. works to inform seniors about what is available in the community for them, police partner with S.A.L.T. to also present information to seniors -- information on prevention programs on frauds and scams, personal safety, home security, power of attorney, Drive Wise and more. All kinds of similar tips and phone numbers will be featured in the 2010 calendar. S.A.L.T. already has a template to go by. It published a calendar featuring caricatures of seniors -- and all types of helpful information -- this year. S.A.L.T. volunteer Silvie Atterbury brainstormed the idea of using pets in next year's calendar recognizing that people love their pets. "We want to put a smile on a senior's face because you have to start the day with a smile," said S.A.L.T. Oakville chair Darlene Cox who agrees the pet component of the 2010 calendar will be priceless for the fun it brings. "Pets are warm and snuggly," said Cox, while Atterbury said funny photos like a dog slip sliding on a patch of ice may come up a winner. Constable Jackie Brennan, co-ordinator of Elder Services for the Halton police and S.A.L.T. liaison officer, envisions people will go to town in the competition, perhaps even dressing a pet for the season or monthly occasion. With Brennan obviously supportive of the S.A.L.T. endeavour, Cox admits, "We'd achieve nothing without the support of the LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER DAY TO REMEMBER: Pearl Duder looks over the calendar she received from volunteers with the Halton Seniors Helpline. The help line is a program of Seniors And Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.). The S.A.L.T. committee distributed a calendar featuring caricatures and lots of helpful information for seniors this year and is now gearing up for its 2010 calendar edition -- to feature the winning contestants in a pet photo contest. Entries are now being accepted. Halton Regional Police Service." Halton Hills and Burlington will also step up That said, seniors should not feel that "We want to put a smile on a senior's for the job. S.A.L.T. or its help line is a hotline to the face because you have to start the day The prize for having a submitted pet's police department. It is seniors helping sen- with a smile." photo selected as a finalist will, of course, be iors -- and having a police resource to draw its publication in the calendar. on if that is what a senior needs. However, for whatever pooch, feline or Darlene Cox, The 2009 calendar cost about $4,000, other that is chosen to be the cover pet for the which S.A.L.T. financed along with other S.A.L.T. Oakville chair calendar, Atterbury, who is an artist, will do an public awareness tools and the startup of the acrylic painting of that pet as the grand prize. hotline, with a $19,000 pilot project grant to what is supposedly Revenue Canada. Despite the fact that S.A.L.T. precedes by a "Revenue Canada would never, never ask number of years, the Halton police even from New Horizons for Seniors. The calendar is such fun however, and a for any personal information like that in that establishing an official Elder Services dividaily awareness tool throughout the course way," said Cox. sion, many people still don't know that "The rule is to just say no," said Cox. of the year, that S.A.L.T. is going it alone this S.A.L.T. exists, let alone the service it proS.A.L.T. is hoping however that the gener- vides to local seniors -- and others who are year to produce the 2010 edition. It's hopeful it may access funding from al public just says yes to the calendar compe- wishing to assist seniors in their lives. somewhere, but is prepared at the end to tition. "S.A.L.T. is originally an American proIt is open as of now -- and the deadline gram and not a lot of jurisdictions have a charge a nominal fee for the calendar to for entry will be Aug. 15, 2009. finance it. S.A.L.T. program. We do have one in Halton," Anyone is welcome to submit a favourite said Brennan, noting it's important to get S.A.L.T. distributes the calendars to all the local seniors' centres and at Brennan's pre- photo of their pet. Submissions should be the word of that out to local seniors. accompanied by a person's name and contact sentations to community groups. Cox said the Halton Seniors Helpline gets A word search included in the 2009 edi- information (address and/or telephone num- calls that run the gamut from people looking tion is appealing to seniors and features a ber). for information about bus schedules to calls Submissions may be made by mail or e- about elder abuse. host of agencies that serve seniors in the mail to: Halton Seniors' Helpline Photo community. Cox said the help line volunteers receive The calendar also carries safety and crime Competition, P.O. Box 84003, 1235 Trafalgar extensive training on how to help seniors Rd., Oakville L6H 3J0 or e-mailed to connect with the information or service they prevention tips. "One of the biggest problems with seniors info@haltonseniorshelpline.ca. need. Atterbury reminds those participating is that they're too polite," said Cox, noting A call to the help line isn't a call to the seniors often answer the doorbell or the tele- that no photos submitted will be returned. police, but it can provide police resources, if A S.A.L.T. committee will vet the original need be, assured Brennan. phone or an e-mail. entries so that judges won't be inundated In doing so, they are often opening themA glance at the S.A.L.T. calendar also puts with massive volumes to make final deci- helpful information into the hands of a senselves up to the potential of a scam. Cox pointed to a recent scam in which sions. While Raitt has agreed to act as the ior -- not to mention that daily smile. people are asked, via letters or e-mails, to Oakville judge, Atterbury said S.A.L.T. is hop"I think it's going to be great fun," said reveal their social insurance number (SIN) ing other notable personalities in Milton, Cox.