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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, February 15, 2013 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief, Halton Region Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager A source of pride Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn is correct in saying the new hospital should be a source of pride for Oakville. Yet, the current Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH), its staff and the community, are already something of which we should be proud. As Oakville grows, Halton Healthcare Services' (HHS) OTMH is being stretched to the max. It does not sport the luxury, space or technology promised in our new hospital. It was built in a different era, designed to provide care for a community much different than the one it serves today. As the building ages and patient load mushrooms, one finds the hospital is worn. There are supplies housed in the hallways, patients lined along the walls in Emergency and decor issues that could be updated, but the staff carries on doing what hospitals do -- providing healthcare to the community. It could be better, it could be worse, but the bottom line for those who are sick is that they are getting good care, rolled out, sometimes as if magically, notwithstanding -- or despite -- the environment. It may not appear fancy, but when you're sick, fancy is a frill about which you are not overly concerned. Instead, the kind smiles, compassionate hearts and diligent care are what matters. Hats off to the staff and administration for making that happen. Kudos also to the community whose ailing members are still glad to receive care, despite the aging surroundings, and other residents who may be well, but who are generously providing for the needs of future patients. Time and again The Oakville Beaver carries news of someone who has donated to the new hospital. The Province may be footing its share of the billions required to build the facility, but it's the community that is providing all its equipment, which is not publicly funded. This week, we carried news the Oakville Hospital Foundation Chair Bruce Galloway and his wife Kelly boosted their donation to $500,000. Thank you. Next week, you'll read of hospital staff, board members and supporters recognized with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Award. The Galloways join a long list of generous donors to the new hospital. And more are welcome. We may not all be able to contribute in the same manner, but we can do our part because one day we may find ourselves wearing a hospital gown and searching for that compassionate smile and be dependent on the kindness of strangers. We are proud of our new hospital. We thank our old facility for its years of service. We thank its staff for great work and our neighbours, friends and family -- our community -- for stepping up to make the new medical complex just as great. 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. Seniors say thank you Letter to the editor 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 e-mail to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Thanks to some snow angels I would like to thank the angels with shovels who helped me out in Oakville on Douglas Avenue after my car was buried by the plow up to the top of my snow tires on Friday. I will be forever grateful for you coming along and helping me dig my car out and you also saved my parents a trip from Burlington to help free my car from the snow. Thank you very, very much. You really made my day. Michelle Pluim, Oakville Check out the Odd Couple I recently had the opportunity to see the Odd Couple at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. I was amazed by this production. It was as good as any theatre I have seen in New York and London (England). I wish there was more publicity coverage of this play, so other residents of Oakville can see it, too. Thank you. Joseph Caravagio, Oakville Thirteen years ago, after retiring as an educator and a politician in the GTA, my wife Sophie and I retired to a downsized bungalow on Blue Jay Boulevard in Oakville. We are enjoying retirement living with dynamic neighbours from different vocations, various family sizes and multicultural backgrounds. This latest snowstorm showed the true spirit of our neighbours. Late Friday evening the storm filled our sunken driveway with more than two feet of snow. One of our kind neighbours plowed the driveway clear with his trusty snowplow. Just before midnight the Town of Oakville plowed open the street and left a three-foot wall of hard snow making it impossible to drive out in the morning to an important function. With my recent cardiac problem, I woke up early the next morning to see if I could dig out an opening wide enough to drive my car out of the driveway. As I looked out the front window at 8 a.m., Blue Jay Boulevard was alive with snow cleaners; five young people were cleaning a driveway for a neighbour with snow shovels; home-owned snow plows were clearing the snow not only from their own driveways, but also from their neighbours; two people were assisting a stranded car on the road; etc. Surprise. The snow in our driveway and the three-foot snow barrier were completely cleared away. Our dilemma is that we do not know who to thank, so to all of you wonderful residents on Blue Jay Boulevard, a big thank you for the care and respect that you show Oakville seniors. Sophie and Jesse Flis, Oakville