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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 26, 2003 -C3 Retired teacher on personal mission to help orphanage By Melanie Cummings S P E C IA L TO THE B E A V E R It is not unusual for Judy Warrington to step outside her home and find something sit ting at her doorstep, left there by a stranger. More often that not. they are donations intended for someone living in a third world country. These messengers of good will know Warrington is their best connection to these desti tute communities. For the past three years, the so-called 'retired' teacher has been ferrying three to four times per year back and forth between the Dominican Republic and her southwest Oakville home. She's also been to Africa twice and Eastern Europe wear ing each of her three `hats': as a teacher accompanying high school students on humanitari an missions, as a Rotarian vol'untedng for international aid projects, aid as a member of the town's Knox Presbyterian Church doing outre?ch work. "It's my life at mis stage." said Warrington. But over the years, a small orphanage along the mountain ous northeast coast of ihc Dominican Republic, on the other side of the tourist resorts, has captured Warrington's attention. With the same drive and determination that led her to find this group of impoverished children, she has incited interest among many in the local com munity. Warrington said she has thanks to Warrington and her supporters. A chicken coop, water pump, sewing machines, bicycles, books, a hospital bed donated by a local family who no longer needed it in their home, a ter raced garden, a pathway for res idents to walk along instead of the masses of mud that are cre ated in the rainy season, myriad buildings to live and go to school in. dental, eye and med ical clinics -- these are the many achievements and ongo ing projects intended to recreate this poor area of the Dominican. W ith a calm, focused demeanor and immense patience, Warrington is current ly unravelling reams of red tape to get a shipment of shoeboxes filled with toys, treats and basic items to the Dominican com munity. She's also working on a deal with A ir Transat to transport as many supplies as she can for the children, during regular (lights to Porta Plata. " I persevere because I believe if one door closes, another opens -- that's where my faith comes in." Her goals are simple: to make a better world. " This is what God wants me to do," said Warrington. And infusing this benevolent mindset into youths is all part of her plan to create a better world for generations to come. The students who have accompanied her on her many trips volunteer to go on their own. And with a lot of prepara tion. daily debriefing on the trip and communication afterward. Warrington has provided them with an unforgettable life les son. And while she is keen to continue taking Canadian stu dents on these educational excursions to Third Worlds, Warrington has also done the opposite. She was instrumental in bringing two boys from Nairobi to study in Canada four years ago. Both have gone on to post secondary studies and are applying for immigrant status. You can be sure Warrington is helping them muddle through the complicated paperwork involved. And a teenaged girl named Polly was brought to Oakville by Warrington to receive lifesaving hip surgery two years ago. W hile going between two desparately different cultures, from poverty to prosperity so many times each year, may be jarring, it is also a constant reminder to Warrington that the difference between the two is simply the.luck of geography. "W e don't choose where we are bom. and that makes all the difference in our lives." Judy Warrington a long list of people who help. After reading about a fellow Rotarian from Arizona who was doing sim ilar work in the Dominican. Warrington offered help, corralling a group of high school students to come along. W hile there, she was told about a Canadian woman run ning an orphanage in the north ern coastal community of Los Brasos. Traversing through unknown roads across a Dominican mountain range, and asking for directions along the way. Warrington found it -- and the children. Believing a hand up does more for a person's well-being in the long run than a hand out. the Dominican community has seen changes for the better CANADIAN TIRE Return the ballot below to either of our Canadian Tire Oakville locations. D UNDAS & TR A FALG AR ROAD 400 Dundas S t. East · 257-TIRE STORE HOURS: Mon. -Fri. 8:00am-9pm · Sat. 8:OOam-:OOpm · Sun. 10am-6pm O A K TO W N SH OPPING P LA ZA 550 Kerr Street ·844-0202 STORE HOURS: Mon. -Fri. 8:00am-9pm · Sat. 8:00am-6:00pm · Sun. 10am-6pm Women's Day celebration has peaceful theme The Voices of Women For Peace will be the theme of the Women's Day Celebration in Halton on Wednesday, March 5. The public is invited to attend a dessert and coffee evening starting at 6:30 p.m. at Rattlesnake Point G olf Club and hear keynote speaker Joy Warner of Hamilton, past national chair of Canadian Voices of Women and delegate at the World Social Forum held in Porto Alegre. Brazil. Warner w ill discuss the United Nations (U N ) resolution for Women. Peace and Security, passed in October If you have a news tip or story idea, call the Oakville Beaver at 845-3824. MOTORS TICKETS GIVE-AWAY Return this Ballot to platinum Raptors Tickets Give-Away Canadian lire, for 1 . , , | * your chance to win . " ........... Jk I a Raptors Tickets ^ ^e s s ' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [ * Draw to be held I March 21, 2003 ^ P h o n e N o .: -------------------------------| _ ! m m -- n m jm . m m --__ _ __ J| 2000. Warner said the resolution "asked women to be part of all peace negotia tions and be at the table when deci sions are being made." however, she said, "Women are certainly not there in the numbers they should be." She said women are " far away from equal representation at the UN" when it comes to foreign policy and defence. " Heads of state are overwhelmingly male and research shows that having one or two women is not enough. Women need at least 33 per cent repre sentation before our ideas have any impact." And, she'll talk about the "need to spend tax dollars to benefit women and society, not on weapons and the military. "We need to resolve our difference without going to war," she continued, referring to the possible war in Iraq. "A peaceful solution has to be found." Warner was national chair of Canadian Voices of Women for five years, and is currently involved with K A IR O S. an ecumenical justice organ ization supported by most churches. Warner is a former teacher having taught in the elementary, high school, college and university levels in France, Sierra Leone and Canada. She has also worked with Project Plaughshares and is currently the coor- Joy Warner dinator of the Spiritan Office for Justice, Peace and Reconciliation for English speaking Canada. Warner was named Woman of the Year in the area of communications by the Hamilton Status of Women Committee in 1988 and more recently, shared with her husband Gary the World Citizenship Award from the Mundialization Committee from the City of Hamilton. The evening w ill also include per formances by Womenchant, a choir, and The Raging Grannies, a group of women who express their activism through music. The event is being held at Rattlesnake Point G olf Club at 5407 Regional Rd. 25, north of Baseline Road and south of Britannia Road in Milton. Admission, including coffee and dessert, is $15 and $10 for students. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available from Catherine Long at the Elementary Teacher's Federation of Ontario. Halton Local, 905-332-1633; and SAVIS- Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services at Hopedale Mall. 905-825-3622. Cholesterol seminar tonight February is Heart Month. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation (HSFO), in Canada, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death among Canadians. Each year, 79.000 Canadians die from heart disease and stroke. To learn how to reduce the risk of heart disease. attend tonight's (Wednesday) free seminar. Cholesterol and Your Heart. Dr. Michael Heffeman, a cardiolo gist at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, w ill be presenting. Learn more about the risk factors for heart dis ease: the differences between good and bad cholesterol: and how to reduce your risk of heart disease. According to H SFO . more than 60 per cent of Canadian adults are at risk of develop ing heart disease or stroke. One in three women and one in two men will devel op heart disease during their lifetime. Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like sub stance made by the liver or found in meal, dairy products and eggs. Although it serves many important functions, too much cholesterol in the blood can be dangerous. High choles terol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. Currently, one out of two adult Canadians is at risk of developing heart disease. You can lower your cho lesterol level by eating a healthier diet, being physically active, and reducing your alcohol consumption. This free seminar will be held at the 707 Galaxy Banquet Hall, 475 North Service Rd. E. Light refreshments and displays will be available from 6:30 - 7 p.m. and the presentation will begin at 7 p.m. To reserve a seat, call 905-338-4379 or e-mail elittle@haltonhealthcare.on.ca. If you are unable to attend this event, but would like more information, con tact the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario Healthline at 1-888-473-4676 or visit www.heartandstroke.ca