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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, April 9, 2014 | 6 Commitment lasts more than a week This week, April 6-12, is National Volunteer Week -- but volunteering is a commitment that is kept for much longer than just seven days. As such, many local groups are hosting a variety of special events all month to thank their volunteers. Without the volunteers, many groups and organizations would not exist. There are some that are run completely by volunteers. Fareshare food bank, which just launched its Easter food drive last weekend, is such a group. No one at the food bank is paid. Everyone is a volunteer. Just as we cover Fareshare's ongoing efforts -- that span more than two decades now -- we will be shining a spotlight on numerous volunteers in the pages of the Oakville Beaver , and on our website, www.oakvillebeaver. com, this month. We will bring you the story of an Oakville woman, who helps Crime Stoppers spread the word about the crime- ghting program. You'll read about Ian Hopkins, a volunteer at the Lighthouse Program for Grieving Children. We'll cover the recipients of the Town of Oakville's annual Community Spirit Awards later this spring. We'll share with you our own efforts as Oakville Beaver staffers join others from Metroland West Media as we roll up our sleeves to help with a Habitat for Humanity Halton build of a home on Pembroke Drive in Oakville this Friday. As Habitat strives to achieve its lofty goal of building more than 70 homes over the next ve years, we are among but a few of the individuals and local businesses lending our talents (such as they are) to the cause. If you check out the May Court Club of Oakville's photograph on this page, it's more proof of the magic volunteers create in our community. The local service club is doing its part to help young girls in our community live their dream. And it isn't just about prom. The club takes its puppet shows into elementary schools to teach about preventing bullying. It backs a Lunch Box supplemental food program in the schools and it raises funds to support scholarships for youths pursuing post-secondary education. These volunteers help weave all kinds of dreams. Just as Habitat makes the dreams of a local working family, who may not otherwise afford a residence, realize the joy of owning a home. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton depends on its big sisters and big brothers -- volunteers -- to help a youth from a lone-parent family gain socialization outside of what's available in their family unit. You pick the program, cause or need and someone is helping out in our town or somewhere else across the country. This month, volunteers will fan out to help with the spring clean up of the town -- hosted annually by the Oakville Centre for Peace, Ecology and Human Rights. Others run breakfast programs or fundraise to help those coping with illness, mental health issues, physical and mental challenges, among other things. Our youths are involved in helping their counterparts in need around the world. We are all doing a small part, but together it packs a mighty punch. Editorial P R O M S H O P P I N "Connected to your Community" G 447 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 42 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 The May Court Club of Oakville's Nearly New Shop on Kerr Street held a special evening Thursday for Big Brothers Big Sisters Halton (BBBS Halton) girls to visit the shop and select a prom dress, shoes and accessories -- all free of charge. The following day, the shop offered prom dresses to the general public. Here, showing off the selection, are, from left, long-time May Court Club member Ruby Howard, Barb Ferrone, executive director of BBBS Halton, Jan Davidson, shop director, and May Court member Rosa Capparelli. | photo by Graham Paine ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS My View MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution Carr proud of work over past year Gary Carr Halton Region Chair CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager H alton Regional Council is committed to ensuring you are informed about our priorities and the management of your tax dollars. Our Citizens' Report 2013 provides a progress report on both. I am very proud of what we have accomplished over the past year. According to our most recent survey, Halton residents rate the overall quality of life in Halton very high at 99 per cent, which is above the national average. Satisfaction with regional services is also very high, with 97 per cent of Halton residents satis ed with the job that the Region is doing. The very high satisfaction rating obtained through the survey further supports the achievements of the Action Plan priority areas. Halton Region has maintained a strong, sustainable nancial position, including an AAA credit rating while minimizing impacts on you the taxpayer. In fact, on average, we have had a zero per cent tax increase over the past eight years. This is one of the best records in all of Canada. With our AAA credit rating and reduced taxes, we are attracting new business, investment and jobs to Halton. Here in Oakville, we completed a Class Environmental Assessment Study for the Dundas Street widening to six lanes to support the new Oakville hospital. In 2013, we also made one of the largest investments in Halton's history, committing $289 million to ease congestion and improve safety on our roads. Planning for and investing in our infrastructure is critical to ensure we can meet the needs of our growing community now and in the future, with minimal impact to taxpayers. Last year, council approved a Development Financing Plan that ensures growth pays for itself as well as a new Action Plan that sets the direction for Halton's agri-tourism efforts. We launched the Housing Help service that provides online, telephone and in-person support for people searching for affordable housing and achieved one of the highest waste diversion rates in the province. see Doing 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: 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, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 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.