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OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 30, 2009 · 6 OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5571 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 845-9742 --Open 9-5 weekdays, 5-7 for calls only Wed. to Friday, Closed weekends Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: NEIL OLIVER Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The Oakville Beaver is a division of Media Group Ltd. DAVID HARVEY Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director SANDY PARE Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution SARAH MCSWEENEY Circ. Manager Have a safe Halloween Halloween is a time for ghosts and goblins to be prowling neighbourhood streets, but it doesn't have to be a frightening time for kids this year -- even with the threat of H1N1 lurking. St. John Ambulance offers a list of tips for both parents and trick-or-treaters to ensure a healthy Halloween. Those tips include reminding children to sneeze or cough into their sleeves or use a tissue, wash their hands often and avoid common surfaces (try shouting out trick or treat instead of ringing doorbells). Parents should not hand out treats if someone in their home is sick, and when handing out goodies, use clean hands or a scoop instead of letting kids put their hands in a bowl. The Halton Regional Police Service also offers its usual list of tips to help ensure children have a safe and happy Halloween. Those tips include: For parents: · Children's Halloween costumes should be bright and made of non-flammable material. Attach reflective tape or other material to costumes to make trick-or-treaters more visible. · Costumes should be short enough in length to prevent tripping · Have children carry flashlights · Facial make-up is the recommended means of disguise. If masks are worn, eye holes should be large enough so as not to restrict vision · Young children should be accompanied by adults or travel together in groups · Ensure children trick-or-treat on one side of the street and avoid zigzagging across the road. Cross only at corners. For children: · Trick-or-treating should occur in the early evening hours · Let your parents know where you will be · Avoid dark and vacant areas · Never talk to strangers · Never enter the home of a stranger. Always stand at the door. Stay away from homes that are in total darkness. · Take Halloween treats home for inspection by your parents before eating them The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Letter to the editor Vaccine lineup brought out best in people On Wednesday, I arrived at 3 p.m. for the H1N1 clinic, which ran from 4-8 p.m. I stood outside in the cold, and at times drizzle, for three hours before I got indoors where there were some seats. While the sign at that point said the waiting time from that point was one hour, it took me two more hours to get my shot. In total, I was at the regional centre for more than five hours. I felt the wait was worth it as I am at high risk for complications. However, it is important to note that we, the vulnerable population, were left to stand without adequate seating, food or information for many long hours. The many children I saw were amazingly patient and well behaved (thank goodness for video games and iPods). Many were underdressed, having come directly from school, and most parents did not come with adequate food for a five-hour wait. The vending machine had only Hall's cough drops left, by the time we got to it. It was easy to feel annoyed by the wait, until one saw the mother wheeling her child by in a wheelchair, or the adults, who were so feeble one wondered if they could make it to the end of the line. Fortunately, the circumstances seemed to bring out the best in people, at least in those surrounding me. Fathers walked down the street to fast food outlets and brought back food for the children near them; cell phones were shared; healthier people brought some of the more frail individuals in to a place where they could wait seated. Family members came to the aid Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via email to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Flu shot wait was unforgettable Last evening was an event I'll soon not forget. While waiting in line for seven hours to receive the H1N1 vaccine for myself and family, I was witness to the extraordinary love the parents of Halton Region have for their young children. The long wait and uncomfortable weather conditions did not hinder their devotion to protect the health of their children. The patience displayed by all parents and children was truly remarkable. Yes, the wait was long, but with little complaint throughout the line, it was bearable. Many thanks to the kind health workers found within the building and the police officers, who managed the safety of the families outside of the facility. I am thrilled and proud to be a part of this wonderful community. BRONTE RESIDENT KELLY YOUNG BY STEVE NEASE neasecartoons@gmail.com Pud See Fewer page 8