The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

19 · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, July 22, 2009 Living Oakville Beaver LIVING EDITOR: ANGELA BLACKBURN By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Phone: 905-337-5560 Fax: 905-337-5571 e-mail: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com Giving Garden of Hope to shelter Brittany was beautiful, free-spirited, strong yet fragile -- and life-giving. T he flower that was the late Brittany Jacob died all too soon and her sister Stacey believes it's fitting the new Garden of Hope at the Lighthouse Shelter be a memorial to the late 17-year-old former St. Ignatius of Loyola student -- Stacey's baby sister. Here I am, standing in a circle of quiet ... Everyone needs a place to shelter and heal -- to find solace, peace and hope says the 1,700-member Oakville and Milton District Real Estate Board (OMDREB), which is funding the garden. Hopefully everyone finds that when they need it most. For most people, that place is home. But every so often, someone can suddenly be without a home -- without a place to regroup and regenerate. That's what happened to Brittany and it's appropriate the space with the big heart but definite industrial edge that has been the landscape of Oakville's shelter will now be softened -- and in Brittany's memory. The shelter's staff know the garden will remind them of the young Oakville girl and her untimely death earlier this year -- as well as a dozen other people who have used the shelter over the years and have since died either from natural causes, suicide, illness, addictions or accident. While the landscaping will be done over this summer, the garden actually began to grow last winter -- and Brittany planted the seeds. "The most beautiful flowers come from the darkest of soils," said Stacey, noting sometimes good comes from desolation and hardship. She noted her sister donated her organs and in so doing saved five lives. After Brittany's parents, Maria and Victor, moved away from Oakville, Brittany stayed with friends to remain living in town and then found herself at the shelter battling depression as she attempted to survive on her own in her hometown. Then, in late January, shelter staff, including executive director Rachel and he heard the Lighthouse is funded by the Salvation Army and Halton Region, the words were magic. Gaze's wife, Denise, wouldn't hear of him considering anything but helping, as she, when a seven-year-old girl, moved to Canada from New Jersey with her mom, found a helping hand from the Salvation Army. "My mother turned to the local Salvation Army. They asked nothing, they just wanted to help. I had already been forewarned there would be no Christmas that year, but Christmas did come," said Denise. "There was plenty to eat, and more importantly to a seven-year-old... there were presents. Some were gently-used items, but tucked away amongst the presents, was a doll in its original box," said Denise. So, shovels went symbolically into the ground this month at the Lighthouse as plans were unveiled for LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER the Garden of Hope. It will take the form of a Celtic PLANTING A FUTURE: Taking part in the groundbreaking ceremony for the Garden of Hope at the Lighthouse Shelter cross and will symbolize the water, are, from left, Jenny Kotulak, co-chair Oakville, Milton & District Real Estate Board (OMDREB) Garden Project Committee, David Adkins,designer,Heather Tilley co-chair of OMBDREB Garden Committee,Dianna Morrison,president of OMDREB,Rachel Sawatzky, light and circle of preservation that Lighthouse director, Seamus Doyle, Mansewood Irrigation, David Gaze of David Gaze Landscaping, Mayor Rob Burton, Anna the lighthouse itself symbolizes -- all as designed by David Adkins. Carnovale and Augy Carnovale of RE/MAX Aboutowne who donated $5,000 for a fountain. "Our goal is to create this garden as Leading the garden work is David a vision of hope and inspiration for curSawatzky, was shocked to hear "Don't forget, rent and future residents," said Valerie Gaze Landscaping Inc. with David Brittany had died. this is a home. Ramsay-Brown, OMDREB's communiGaze, a long-time Oakville resident. After Salvation Army Major Dan cations/membership manager. Again, an unknown hand was at Broome performed a memorial serv- Many different "Don't forget, this is a home. Many work. When Gaze was approached ice at the Lighthouse for Brittany, circumstances could See Garden page 20 (he does other work for OMDREB) the shelter staff began dreaming of a lead people to memorial garden. being here in the About a month later, a call from Lighthouse Shelter." Alex Irish of OMDREB, suggested Over 60,000 Satisfied the board was offering to do work for Customers the shelter -- and Irish even men Jenny Kotulak, co-chair, tioned the possibility of a garden. Oakville Milton & District "I was so moved at that moment Real Estate Board that it was hard to hold back the Garden Project Committee tears," admitted Sawatzky as divine intervention appeared to be at work. So OMDREB set about its task of raising $25,000 for the project. The Oakville Shrine Club has donated and Home Depot is on board. # Best Price # Best Service # Same Day Installation Available COMPLETE DENTURE Augy Carnovale, owner of # Eligible for O.P.A. & Governement Rebate RE/MAX Aboutowne Realty Corp., and his wife Anna, have donated Buy From Largest Lennox Dealer in Ontario & Save $$$. A+ Rating ea. $5,000 toward the garden fountain in 905-849-4998 memory of Carnovale's late partner, www.aireone.com Bob Hunter, who died of a brain 9 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER LIMITED TIME OFFER 1-888-827-2665 *See dealer for details tumour more than a decade ago. THE BIGGEST SALE EVER DENTURES $500 OFF 379 905-815-8208 $