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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2009 7 GRAPEVINE with Mike OLeary The Way I See It Wine & Cheese The expected large crowd at the 11th annual Rotary Club of Actons wine/cheese and silent auction will view the most re- cent renovations to the Town Hall Centre on November 20. Proceeds from the limited ticket event are earmarked for both community and inter- national Rotary projects. With local and international wines to sup, the event also features cheese sampling, entertainment by The Kurt Lund Trio, door prizes and a silent auction. The event runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Town Hall Centre on Wil- low Street. Seniors sale For delectable baking and homemade crafts check out the Christmas Bazaar slated for November 21 at the Acton Seniors Centre. There will be a country store, Grannys Attic, prizes and draws. Knox celebrates Guest speaker, the Reverend Harvey Self, will help Knox Presbyterian Church celebrates its 164th anniversary at a special service of worship on Novem- ber 22. Rev. Self, Moderator of the 135th General Assembly, Pres- byterian Church in Canada, is a former military chaplain and community pastor who is con- cerned about the ripple effect into our society of the war in Afghanistan and supports mil- itary chaplains in Canada and overseas by visiting them in their military settings. All are welcome to the 10:30 a.m. service, which will be fol- lowed by a time of fellowship. PA Day fun Check out the pool or the arena if youre looking for something to do tomorrow (Fri- day) for the PA Day. There are leisure swims slated for both the Acton and Gellert pool and there is public skat- ing at the Acton arena and two in Georgetown from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wool wanted The Acton Branch of the Can- adian Cancer Society is looking for donations of four-ply wool so its group of knitters can make more shawls and lap robes for cancer patients in hospital. Anyone with wool to donate is asked to call Rena at 519- 853-0744. FoodShare appreciation Actons FoodShare food bank is inviting donors and supporters to join volunteers on November 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Roxy on Mill Street for refreshments, live jazz and the official launch of its new website www.ac- tonfoodshare.com FoodShares plans for a CD compilation of local songwrit- ers to benefit the food bank will also be discussed. At the library Help the library celebrate Canadian Childrens Book Week November 14 to 21 by visiting the library and borrow- ing a Canadian childrens book. You could win a prize. *** The Acton library will screen Adam Sandlers Bedtime Stor- ies tomorrow (Friday) for the PA Day. Bring your lunch and munch to the movies. The show begins at noon. Save the date Mark December 1 on your calendar for the second annu- al Light Up the Hills festival at Dominion Gardens Park in Georgetown. The fun family event featur- ing lighting of the Tree of Hope, hot chocolate, six school choirs, local talent, festive displays and Santa Claus begins at 7 p.m. Christmas hampers Applications for the 2009 Christmas Assistance program will be accepted at the Sal- vation Army Church on Mill Street on November 24, 25, 26 and 28 from 9 a.m. to noon, and again on December 1, 2 and 3 from 1 to 4 p.m. Applications must be com- pleted in person and applicants are asked to bring identifica- tion. The Christmas hamper program is a joint effort of the Salvation Army Family Services, Acton Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent Charities. The hampers come jam packed with warm mitts, toys and everything needed for a holiday feast. Singing competition Acton resident Anne Stewart is off to Rhode Island this week- end to sing with her barbershop chorus the Chord Spinners at an international barbershop com- petition. Stewart, who signs lead, will be competing against some of the best 26 choruses in North America they will sing two songs for the judges. The Chord Spinners have finished in the top 12 to 15 choruses at past international competitions. Stewart said she sings for a half-hour to 45 min- utes daily to keep her voice in shape and the chorus practices once a week in St. Jacobs. Blood clinic There was a disappointing turnout at the Canadian Blood services blood donor clinic on Monday at the Acton arena/ community centre. While more than 70 people had booked ap- pointments to attend the clinic, 38 showed up and blood was taken from 34, for which organ- izers were grateful. Yesterday (Wednesday) marked the 64th Remembrance Day since the Second World War ended. Last Saturday was the annual parade and ceremon- ies at the Cenotaph. The list of Legion members who had passed away during the past year seemed unusually long. The thought struck me that as the years fly by this is probably going to be the norm, not the exception. It is a credit to the Legion and school boards that the children today are being taught to be respectful of the veterans who served our country in years past, and those who continue to serve, on this most important day. When our children were in school it wasnt trendy to re- member our troops. This was a shameful period in our recent history. Last Saturday I had the hon- our of having lunch with three WWII veterans and one young man who will be shipping out to Afghanistan next spring. I could see the look in the older vets eyes as they remembered the excitement they felt all those decades ago, just as the young soldier was experiencing now. Canada has never been a marauding nation. As Legion Chaplain Father Bob Bulbrook noted; Canada has never start- ed a war. He quickly added; but weve finished a few. We are fortunate to have a proud tradition of military service in our country. Canadian troops are respected around the world whether on peacekeeping mis- sions in hostile environments or taking the fight to the enemy as we are doing in Afghanistan. One of many po ignan t moments came during the cere- monies at the Legion lunch. Reference was made to a letter sent home by one of our soldiers just before he was killed. In it he wrote that he felt the soldiers there were winning the war. He was proud of his comrades and their conduct. He felt Canadian soldiers were making a differ- ence in the lives of the average Afghan. At the same time he was con- cerned that they could lose the war here. He was very aware that public opinion regarding the Afghan mission at home was ambivalent at best. He knew that if public opinion at home was to suddenly turn against them, the supreme sacrifices of his brothers in arms would have been for naught. In a way I suppose its under- standable that people here at home go about their daily rou- tine with hardly a thought about their fellow countrymen fight- ing a vicious and resourceful enemy thousands of miles away. I can even understand the few people who object to cultural differences in that land. Those differences are so foreign to our way of life as to be inconceiv- able. I think the important thing to remember is that our service people are not there to impose our definition of democracy on Afghans. Rather, we are there to allow Afghans the freedom to choose how they are going to be governed. We are there to safeguard the country from falling into anarchy where only the strong, or best armed, have any rights. To my mind, thats a noble goal supported by noble efforts. Perhaps over the past 64 years we have become too comfort- able, too complacent in our everyday lives. Perhaps we should all pause and contem- plate just how different our lives would be if the Taliban, or com- munists, or an African warlord were in charge in Ottawa. What if suddenly we lost the freedom to disagree with government policy and had no ability to replace the governing body through free elections? A tyrannical government would never allow a free press to exist. We could lose the freedom to travel, with minimal inconven- ience, within our own country or abroad. We bitch about the popular conception that theres a law for the rich and another for the poor (Tell that to Conrad Black). But what if there really was free- dom for only a few, poverty and misery for the vast majority of us. There are countries, many countries, in this world where all of that is true. As Canadians, we dont often realize just how good we have it. To a great extent we owe our freedoms to soldiers past and present. They dont ask for much. They put up with lousy pay, substandard housing, ter- rible working conditions, etc. etc. All they ask for is support for the troops from home and the occasional thank you. Is that too much to ask? Remember, theres no free in freedom. Wed better not forget GIFT OF LIFE: Actons Garrett Nuttall was one of the 34 people who donated blood on Mon- day at the Canadian Blood Services clinic at the Acton arena/community centre. He was in the capable hands of phlebotomists Elian power (left) and Monica Eddo. Frances Niblock photo