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OPINION Earlier this month the Halton Violence Prevention Council marked the beginning of Woman Abuse Prevention Month by raising its banner at the Halton Regional Centre. It is disheartening to think that, in this day and age, public awareness is still needed when it comes to the issue of domestic violence. However, the sobering fact remains that Halton Regional Police laid more than 600 domestic violence- related charges last year with 84 per cent of those involving a male assaulting a female. In total Halton Police received nearly 2,700 calls that involved situations between partners, and of those, 636 criminal charges were laid from everything involving assault to threatening to harassment. Thirteen per cent of those charges were laid in Halton Hills with 10 per cent laid in Milton, 42 per cent in Oakville and 35 per cent in Burlington. Detective Brett Wilkinson, who is the police ser- vices domestic violence co-ordinator and a member of the Halton Violence Prevention Council, notes that by the time police intervene in a situation there has often already been a history of violence that has gone unre- ported. The goal is to have women come forward before it gets to that point, said Wilkinson. Unfortunately, there likely will always be people in our society who are quick to raise a hand in violence and that is why we are thankful there are a number of social service groups who can help those victims of violence. Among those groups are: Burlington Counselling and Family Services, which can be reached at 905-637-5256, provides counselling for women in abusive relationships and their children, along with a Partner Abuse Response Program and a Caring Dads Program. Halton Family Services offers counselling for female victims of violence and their children. Their number is 905-845-3811. Halton Womens Place, which provides shelter for women and children, can be reached at 905-332-1200. To learn more about reducing domestic violence in the community visit www.neighboursfriendsandfami- ly.ca. Help is there The Independent & Free Press is published every Wednesday and Friday at 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown Ont., L7G 4B1. It is one of several newspapers published by Metroland Media Group Ltd. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with reasonable allowance for sig- nature will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the acceptable rate. In the event of typographical error advertising goods or services at wrong price, goods or ser- vices may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell which may be withdrawn at any time. Editorial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Price: Store copies 50 each; Subscriptions $26 per year by carrier; $92.50 per year by mail in Canada; $130 per year in all other countries. Plus G.S.T. Second Class Mail Registration Number 6869. The Independent & Free Press is a member of The Canadian Community Newspaper Association and The Ontario Community Newspaper Association. Steve Nease THE INDEPENDENT & FREE PRESS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear editor, Kudos to the women of Halton Hills whom attended The Halton Hills Ladies Cook For The Cure dinner and silent auction Oct. 16. Once again you have raised more than $20,000 on behalf of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and exceeded our goal of raising more than $100,000 in six years. While the Foo-Foo Sisters took up the challenge of cooking and organizing the dinner, it was the truly remarkable work of Mary Lou Foreman and her team who were responsible for another outstand- ing silent auction. (Mary Lou, you are the reason we earn so much money. Did I thank you?) Many generous local businesses help reduce the cost for the evening by donating items for the dinner or auc- tion table. Special thanks go to Bino Dalli of The Rotary Glen Banquet Hall, The Real Canadian Superstore and the Glen Oven Bakery. This year we served 200 women. Special thanks to Sean Dockerty our own saucier plus Lisa and Brittany Timney who honoured us with their gift of music adding a touch of elegance and grace to our event. Our dinner began simply as a girl- friends evening where we could hon- our and support our sisters, mothers and friends battling through this dreaded disease and raise a little money on the side in support of research. While our donations are but a drop in the bucket, we fill it with love and support. We challenge you to host your own Cook For The Cure dinner party and support this worthy cause. Help us fill that bucket! Sherrie Louth, on behalf of the Foo-Foo Sisters Halton Hills Ladies Cook for the Cure Cook for Cure a great success Letters to the editor must include an address and daytime telephone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 200 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1 E-mail: jmcghie@independentfreepress.com Something bugging you? Publisher Ken Nugent Advertising director Steve Foreman (sforeman@independentfreepress.com) Retail advertising manager Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@independentfreepress.com) Managing editor John McGhie (jmcghie@independentfreepress.com) Distribution manager Nancy Geissler (distribution@independentfreepress.com) ADVERTISING Advertising co-ordinator Jennifer Christie (jchristie@independentfreepress.com) Retail Sales: Jennifer Spencer (jspencer@independentfreepress.com) Andrew Key (akey@independentfreepress.com) Amy Sykes (features@independentfreepress.com) Real estate: Sue Spizziri (realestate@independentfreepress.com) Classifieds: Kristie Pells (classified@independentfreepress.com) ACCOUNTING Rose Marie Gauthier, Michelle Wimmer EDITORIAL Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@independentfreepress.com) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@independentfreepress.com) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@independentfreepress.com) PRODUCTION: Mary Lou Foreman, Kevin Powell, Shelli Harrison, Dolores Black, Debbie MacDougall STAFF DIRECTORY Send us a letter! Phone: 905-873-0301 Fax: 905-873-0398www.independentfreepress.com 6 Acton/Georgetown, Friday, November 16, 2007 Dear editor, What level of IQ do you have to have to get on the Halton Catholic District School Board? How foolish are some of the peo- ple on that board to think that, by letting the health services come in to give female students a vaccine that could prevent cervical cancer, that it will somehow encourage them to have sex? Its stupid and outrageous not to mention how little they think of the female students who go to the school. Whats next? If a vaccine that pre- vented colon cancer was found would these officials believe that if male students had the vaccine they would turn gay and start have sex with male partners? Wake up people it is 2007 not 1847 have some trust in your stu- dents. Andrew Strachan, Georgetown Dear editor, On October 13 more than 100 citi- zens from Halton Hills and surround- ing area participated in the 1st annual Gala Bowl-A-Thon and Silent Auction for Healing Hands for Haiti at Georgetown Bowl. The event raised approximately $5,000 to support a 28-member med- ical team that left Nov. 3 for a two- week mission to orphanages, clinics and communities in Haiti. Healing Hands for Haiti specializes in providing rehabilitation medicine and educational programs; it operates a rehab clinic, prosthetic workshop and teaching facility in Port au Prince. In 10 years of operation it has sent almost 100 medical teams, tons of medical supplies, treated tens of thousands of abandoned and disabled children and adults and set up ongoing medical and training programs in Haiti. The event was supported by volun- teers who gave hours of time organiz- ing, promoting and running the event; many businesses and individuals donat- ed silent auction items and financial support and helped raise awareness of the needs of our Haitian neighbours. Karen, John and I look forward to reporting to our communities from Haiti on the missions progress and accomplishments. Thank you to every- one who helped make the fundraiser a great success. Eric Doubt, member, Board of Directors Healing Hands for Haiti Karen MacKenzie-Stepner, John Cowper-Smith, members, Team Canada Healing Hands Trustees should trust their students Bowl-a-thon nets $5,000