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1 8 - The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e sd a y F e bru a ry 8, 2006 Good Citizenship Medal recipient Oakville' s Laila Eiriksson is one of 38 Ontario residents awarded the Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship. On Tuesday, Eiriksson, the President of the board of the Halton Multicultural Council, joined the other recipients at Queen's Park to receive her award from the Honourable James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. The Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship is an official award of the province and recognizes and encour ages the virtues of good citizenship. Recipients must have made outstand ing public contributions through exceptional long-term efforts to com munity life. Eiriksson was recognized for her work in promoting diversity. LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Cfiris Corona and Lisa Varey w ork in the kitchen at the Salvation Army HOME DEC & FASHION February 6- 26th Lighthouse. S h e l t e r p r o v id e s r e s id e n t s w it h h o p e fo r a fre s h s ta r t always felt safe and enjoyed mixing with young Guenther said there is a saying among social people. Staff immediately got to work on his case plan and helped him get his government workers that they are trying to work themselves out of business. Unfortunately, the demand is disability money, replacement housing and only increasing and there is only one such shel more. "My stay here was a learning experience and I ter in all of Halton. (Families are housed in tran am thankful to all the parties who built it," said sitional apartments and motels.) "We're the front line here," he said, adding Dickey. "I had nowhere else to go." Today, Dickey volunteers with the Lions that if Ford had decided to close the Oakville Foundation and the Oakville Y and is chair of a plant along with the 14 other facilities recently local poetry group. announced, the effect on homelessness in "My life's, back on track," he said, thanking Halton would be devastating. As it is, an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 individu the Salvation Army and all the community part ners for "pulling together in a caring spirit." als in Halton become homeless each year. Chris Corona, now 18, was only Sawatzky explained the Lighthouse 16 years old when family conflict provides shelter and the hope for a "My stay here forced him to stay with friends fresh start for those undergoing was a learning before Ontario Works put him in everything from family break-ups, experience and touch with the Lighthouse. health crises, financial burdens, the I am thankful to Intelligent and motivated (he's lack of affordable housing and esca all the parties studying full-time to become an lating costs of living plus seniors, architectural technologist with who have lost spouses - no two are who built it." help from a bursary) Corona char the same. acterizes his shelter stay as a "Everybody comes with their Former Lighthouse resident Shawn Dickey "trem endous experience" and own story," she said. credits its staff for "always being Which brings this story back to there for me." Shawn Dickey, who continues to be While still living at the Lighthouse, Corona impressed by the shelter's policy of offering res idents a "firm helping hand" to get them back vowed to return. He kept his word and today is a volurtteer there. He also donates his time to on their feet. While living at the shelter, residents must be Meals on Wheels and The Scott Mission. "It's just part of who I am," he says. "It makes up at-8 a.m. and out of the wings by 9 a.m. with one hour of access to the rooms at 1 p.m. They me feel really good." The public, too, can share in that feeling by are permitted back in the rooms after dinner helping the Lighthouse through volunteering to from 5 to 6 p.m. and from 8 p.m. to morning. teach life skills, offer computer training and The Lighthouse is no flophouse, Dickey adds. "They push you towards independence but even help out in the kitchen. In addition to financial contributions, dona are there if you stumble," he said. Sawatzky agrees: "We really try to encourage tions to the Lighthouse wish list are also wel people to re-connect with the community by come: a pre-fab storage shed, laundry carts, com learning to help themselves, to take control of puter desks, industrial washer/dryer, laptop com puter and projector, office supplies, towels, toi their own lives." letries and toilet paper. In June 2005, Dickey, 48, - who suffers from Food vouchers from area grocery stores will both schizophrenia and arthritis -- separated from his wife, lost his $500,000 townhouse and also help the shelter purchase fresh meat and found himself staying in his parents' basement milk that local foodbanks cannot supply. Non until his father became very ill. After spending perishables are also welcome. To donate, call Sawatzky at 905-339-2918. time in a monastery to try and settle his mind, Cheques, too, are welcome and can be mailed he contacted the Salvation Army for help. Dickey, who admits Lighthouse life is very to the Salvation Army Oakville Community Church, 1225 Rebecca Street, L6L 1Z1. regimented and not unlike the army, said he Continued from page 16 O U R R E G U L A R P R IC E S O N A L M O S T iV iR Y T H lliO IN THE STORE! BASIC, FA SH IO N A N D H O M E DEC FABRICS, S EW IN G N O T IO N S A N D A H U G E SELECTION OF N O -SE W , R EA D Y-TO -O O H O M E DECOR! Excluding promotional & clearance. Offer valrd Feb,8-26/06, in-stock merchandise only, for Members only, while quantities last No special orders. Not valid with any other discounts. Fabricland's SPECTACULAR S E W IN G CLUB J O IN O U R S E W IN G C LU B & SAVE M O R E , N O W TH RU AU G UST 31 st MEMBERSHIPS VALID THROUGH AUGUST 31 ON SALE NOW AT PARTICIPATING STORES! Fabricland's fixed Membership year began September 1 and runs to August 31. 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