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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, September 18, 2013 | 6 Editorial T A K I N G T E R R Y ' S "Connected to your Community" L E A D 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 111 The Oakville Beaver is a division of The pretty girl, maybe six years old, approached one of the many signs along the route of Sunday's Terry Fox Run in Oakville. This one was near the start/ nish line, near another in memory of Terry Fox. The youth was thoughtful as she gazed at the smiling face staring back at her. She took it all in for a moment, then turned and asked, "Did he have cancer? Who was he?" Then, "It's so sad that people get this disease." The girl immediately smiled when she heard he'd been the managing editor of the Oakville Beaver. A woman who had mentioned a few minutes before that she had made the sign, then spoke up to say the man who was pictured in it was a good man. That he was the person who had put all those photos of kids at soccer games and schools and events around town in the paper and that he'd made sure all the good news in Oakville, got into the local paper for people to know about. The girl beamed, looked back at the sign, quietly , ngering the writing and designs on it. Then she moved off. We know that man in the photo would have smiled -- not so much at his described legacy , but at the girl's interest, her questions, her curiosity. He worked each day to serve Oakville through its community newspaper. He would have been impressed that she was involved, at such a young age. About a year ago, Rod Jerred who had, after a long career with the Beaver, moved to a job closer to home and a step up the ladder as an editor in chief of four Hamilton Metroland newspapers, sent word that he'd taken ill. Despite all good thoughts, Rod's journey with cancer was speedy. In March, many of those who knew him were at his funeral saying a nal farewell. He is still in our thoughts. He certainly was as the Oakville Beaver team took part in this year's Terry Fox Run. Like so many for whom memorial signs were posted at this year's run, not just in Oakville, but across Canada, he is missed. Each, like Terry Fox who is a hero to all Canadians, is a hero to their friends, families and communities. Through research, a cure will be found for cancer. Over the three decades since Terry set out on his Marathon of Hope, stopped only by the ravages of cancer, some $600 million has been raised by those who have kept Terry's hope alive. As such, improved treatments mean many more people are still with us. Had such treatments existed when Terry was living, he, too, may still be with us. As 1,200 Oakvillians kept hope in their sights Sunday , and many others supported them, it moved us all a step closer to the day where people like each of those pictured on the memorial signs could still be here. The run is hope. Hope for a cure. Determination despite adversity -- determination not to erect any more signs. Not to lose any more good people. Hope for a cure Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice­President 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 | submitted photo Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production On Sunday, Oakville's Katie Walden, left, and Sierra Vaillancourt, Grade 6 students at St. James School, participated in the Oakville Terry Fox Run at Coronation Park. The previous week they raised money to donate to The Terry Fox Foundation. With the help of their teacher, Patti Kent, they organized a civvies day and a walk around the school, asking students to donate a loonie or toonie. When combined with funds raised through friends and family, the girls submitted a donation of more than $600. SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution Letters to the Editor CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Know rules of the road and then use them This is directed at the guy cycling on the sidewalk on McCraney and Sewell streets at around 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11. Why did you almost crash into me? Don't you know it is illegal to cycle on the sidewalk. McCraney Street is not busy and you were wearing a helmet, so you could have been on the road. The sour and obnoxious look on your face gave me a clear message as you rode toward me, `Get out of my way `cause I'm not moving.'" You didn't bother to swerve to avoid me, so I had to jump out of the way fast to avoid you. Why should I have to move when you clearly were in the wrong by biking on the sidewalk? Speaking on behalf of pedestrians, both young and older alike, learn the rules of the road and cycle where you should -- on the road. Next time, someone won't move and you will have injury costs to deal with. What if, instead of a grown woman like me, it had been a younger kid, or a senior going for a walk that morning? Would you have plowed into them without a care in the world and just continued on your merry little way after injuring them? For the record, I do not drive, nor do I cycle anymore in this town because it is just too dangerous, so I walk everywhere I can or take the transit. I know the rules of the road, it is too bad that some cyclists choose to disobey the rules of the road and almost run down an innocent pedestrian. This sort of thing has happened multiple times and so nally after this last incident -- almost getting actually hit by one of these rude people -- I decided to do something about it and wrote this letter. Colleen Robinson, Oakville 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: 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.