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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, February 23, 2012 · 10 Neighbours drop off care package to cabbie By John Bkila OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF A community of neighbours has rallied around the family of an Oakville taxi cab driver who was brutally assaulted late last month over a $19.49 fare. In an earlier interview, Muhammad Akmal, 48, told The Oakville Beaver that things turned ugly after picking up two men around 2 a.m. on Jan. 21 from the AMC Plaza near Winston Churchill Boulevard. When the car stopped at the passengers' destination at a Mac's Convenience Store at 2163 Sixth Line, Akmal says, one passenger ran away and the other refused to pay the fare. The cabbie alleges that after an altercation, he was hit in the face and pushed to the ground where he was kicked and punched in the head and face, smashing his left eye socket. Due to his injuries, Akmal, who emigrated from Pakistan nearly seven years ago, has been unable to go back to work. He is the sole provider for his wife and three young children. Local neighbour Tanja Loeb came across the story and decided to rally several families from her neighbourhood and across the town to purchase gift cards for groceries and donate them to the Akmal family. "I strongly believe in community," Loeb ilies collected and donated nearly $300 in cash and cheques, and $325 in gift cards for Metro, Real Canadian Superstore and Walmart. A smaller group of parents and children visited the Akmal family at their apartment home on Feb. 1, nearly a week after the incident, and offered its care package. "They were really touched by the gesture," Loeb said. "The Akmal family was extremely welcoming and even though we told them that we just wanted to meet them, Shazia (Akmal's wife) ended up setting up their dining table like a buffet with snacks for us. "It was a heart-warming evening. You know how you go somewhere thinking you will able to bless someone and you end up leaving feeling like you're the one who was blessed? Well, it was like that." Loeb added that assisting the Akmal family in its time of need was a big opportunity to teach her children to feel accountable for STEVEN DER-GARABEDIAN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER what happens in their community and that GET WELL SOON: Mohammad Akmal (top left) and his family welcomed a group of local they can change the outcome of what residents, organized by Tanja Loeb (fourth from right), to their home on Feb. 21 with donations of occurs in their town. Since their visit, the neighbours have gift cards for groceries. Akmal was assaulted in his cab by two men earlier in January and cannot collected $100 more in grocery gift cards return to work until he is cleared by doctors. and $50 more in cash, which they plan on said. to the family and redeem the situation and donating to the Akmal family during another visit. "And the only way it can function effec- make it a story with a positive ending." -- with files from David Lea, Oakville tively is if we pull together and support each A group of eight families from Loeb's other. Doing this was just a way to reach out neighbourhood and five more Oakville fam- Beaver staff. They say one man's trash is another person's treasure and the gold, coin and antique appraisers of the Canadian Collectors Roadshow are in Oakville next week to show just how valuable your coins, jewellery, antiques and collectibles can be. The roadshow will be in town Wed Feb 29th until Sunday, Mar 4th at the Holiday Inn Oakville (Centre), 590 Argus Road where those interested in the world of collectibles are invited to come down and find out how much money their own pieces might fetch. Eric Dvorkin, president of the organization, says it can be incredibly exciting to find out what your old coins and jewellery are worth ­ not to mention surprising. "People inherit stuff or have been sitting on pieces for the past 20 or 30 years while it's been collecting value," he says, "and they have no idea what they actually have." Gold, silver, jewellery and precious metals are some of the most popular items the appraisers see and can be worth a remarkable amount of money. The value of these pieces is based on the market price of where gold and silver are at on a daily basis but for some, explains Dvorkin, it's about getting something ­ anything ­ out of pieces that would otherwise collect dust. "Times are tough right now and every little bit helps," he says. "I've seen people walk out in tears because they were so surprised at what their stuff was worth and they finally don't have to worry about coming up short on their bills." Other popular items include antiques and collectibles, most notably war memorabilia. Bayonets and medals from the World Wars CANADIAN COLLECTORS ROADSHOW BRINGS EXPERTISE TO OAKVILLE NEXT WEEK Advertorial have been known to garner a fair value but the rarer pieces such as medals from generals are more in-demand. With the 100-year anniversary of WWI approaching in 2014, memorabilia from that time is also of great value. Even those soft and cuddly teddy bears passed down from generation to generation could be worth a pretty penny ­ more specifically, Steiff bears from the Germanbased company that began producing teddy bears in 1902. French dolls made from porcelain or wax may also garner impressive value. When it comes to coins, the less there are of a particular one, the more value it holds. "The 1948 Canadian silver dollar is the most valuable silver dollar right now," says Dvorkin. "Only 19,000 were minted, while hundreds of millions of other coins are currently in circulation. In good condition, these coins can get anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000." Fifty-cent pieces and nickels from 1921 are also in demand, fetching up to $20,000. Dimes, quarters, 50-cent pieces and silver dollars minted before 1968, says Dvorkin, could be of great value just for the silver contents of them. Most surprising of all, however, is the value of certain 1936 pennies; one of the four currently in circulation was recently sold in auction for $400,000. Whether you're simply curious to see what your valuables are worth or enjoy learning about the value of others' belongings, the Canadian Collectors Roadshow will be full of fascinating pieces. The Canadian Collectors Roadshow will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. See ad in today's paper. For more information, call 1-888-325-2775 or visit www.collectorsroadshow.ca.