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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, April 19, 2013 | 6 Editorial Let's show respect for Mother Nature It's all about respect. Oakville's 22nd annual Earth Week Clean Up of local nature sites is tomorrow (Saturday, April 20) from 9-11 a.m. And there's no excuse not to participate. A full list of all 46 local sites to be spruced up is available online at http://bit.ly/1020q5e. For more information, contact organizer, the Oakville Community Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights (OCCPEHR) by phone at 905-849-5501. Many years ago, OCCPEHR executive director Stephen Dankowich was hard at work in Oakville advocating on issues of peace, ecology and human rights. While laudable, it was not necessarily in vogue at the time. However as the `green' movement began to gain ground, make an impact and nally resonate with residents here and around the world, Dankowich had more and more company in his quest. The community clean up grew from small beginnings to a major event -- reaching a record number of 46 clean-up sites this year. Local government became more and more involved as did residents. Work gloves are provided along with garbage bags. Residents are encouraged to use their own pick-up stick, rake, broom, wheelbarrow and shovel. Halton Region will lend a hand in carting away the trash. Among the sponsors are Pitch-In Canada, the Town of Oakville and Sobeys. Volunteers are plentiful in the event. Cautions are provided for all, especially young people participating so safety is paramount. It's designed to be a family activity that will be remembered for years to come. "By participating, parents can educate their children about the importance of the natural environment," said Dankowich. "The cleanup will allow everyone to enjoy garbage-free parks and trails this spring and summer. The environment is everyone's responsibility and we can all do much more to better protect and enhance nature." He is so right. It's all about respect. As we all know, we respect and care for things we value. As we walk along our sidewalks, play in our parks, saunter along our shorelines and gaze at the greenspace as we go about our busy lives, who doesn't feel disgust and regret when we see garbage strewn about? There may be some distaste in the need of cleaning up someone else's mess, but we can all do our part. First, don't litter, there are lots of places to deposit trash. And, while we may have to stoop to pick up someone else's garbage, look at it, not as cleaning another's mess, but caring for your own property, parks and community. Let's show respect for our community and for Mother Nature. "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Fax: (905) 337-5566 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 47 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Volunteers help others learn to read Ann Bowman Oakville Literacy Council My View MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager S pring is a time of hope and inspiration: a tting time to hold International Adult Learner's Week (April 6-14) and National Volunteer Week (April 21-27). And I can think of no better time to publicly celebrate the efforts of the inspirational adult learners and dedicated volunteers of the Oakville Literacy Council (OLC) that for 27 years has been offering free tutoring in reading, writing, basic math and computer skills to adults in our community. As OLC's president, I witness every day how the work of a small army of trained volunteer tutors uplifts the lives of so many. Canadian statistics reveal that without OLC's help, adults in our community with low literacy skills (four in 10 in Halton) are likely to be or soon to be among the disproportionately high percentage of people with poor literacy in our food bank lines, our hospitals and our prisons. With the help of our volunteers who work with their students one-on-one following customized learning plans developed by OLC professional staff, hundreds of Oakvillians over 19 years of age are able to achieve the goals they most seek -- increased independence. Depending on the individual goals of each student, our tutors help them learn how to read road maps and signs, job postings, notes sent home from their children's schools, warning labels. They help them learn to write job letters, text messages and e-mails, and to ll out essential government forms. They help them to acquire the skills they need to navigate the web, nd the health information they need, and help their children with their homework. As a result of the help OLC's adult learners receive, and as a result of their own dedication to improving their lives, many have been able to pass post-secondary entrance examinations, and to achieve the education and training needed to attain better jobs. Recently, I witnessed one of our students explain to a group of people, whom he eloquently and passionately encouraged to become supporters of OLC: "I was what you would call a `menace to society' before I learned to read and write thanks to this wonderful organization. Now I am employed as a youth counsellor helping others avoid the troubles I experienced." Imagine the indignity and impoverishment of the lives of those without suf cient skills to meet see Free on p.7 Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: ATHENA Award 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. 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.