The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

w w w .in sid e H A L T O N .co m | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, D e c e m b e r 2 , 2 0 1 6 | 20 Every week we showcase topics around town. SEND US YOUR PHOTOS: If you happen to come across an interesting topic relevant to your community, and you have a good picture to prove it, we'll do our hest to publish it on this page. Email it to ahlackhum@oakvilleheaver.com, along with your name and a brief paragraph about why you w ant to share it with our readers. fR E N p l Beaver carrier earns life skills delivering the paper by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff Standing 6-foot-5 with guide dog Vance by his side, it' s hard not to take notice of Nicholas Scarpelli as he makes his way along his Joshua Creek paper route on Thursdays and Fridays. For more than seven years, the 21-year-old has been a fixture in the community, delivering the Oakville Beaver to about 50 houses in his neighbourhood. He takes his job seriously and rarely misses a day on the job. He never forgets a special request, whether it' s to deliver it into the mailbox or hold off on deliveries until a family' s back from vacation. "The neighbourhood knows him very well and also his dog," said his mother Rita Swant, who usually follows behind as a safety precaution because Nick has autism and is considered low functioning. "Nick has had many compliments from the neighbourhood saying that he is punctual with the papers and also he puts it right on the top step -- how they like it." Scarpelli, however, will no longer be the area carrier starting in 2017 because his family will be moving to Grimsby. He handed in his resignation recently and his last route will be on Dec. 30. Reflecting on how rewarding the job has been for her son, Swant says he' s come a long way. With limited communication and understanding, he had to overcome a big learning curve before he got into a routine, she Nicholas Scarpelli, an autistic 21-year-old, has been delivering the Oakville Beaver since his early teens and for the last three years accompanied by his service dog Vance. His family is moving, so his last delivery will be the end of December. | Graham Paine/Metroland said, noting he used to have anxiety attacks or outbursts, but is now at ease with the role. It' s been the perfect job for him because he loves the outdoors and it' s a great way for him to get exercise. It' s not about the pay cheque she added, but the enjoyment he receives from the responsibility. He has learned to greet people as they walk by and he' s also learned to work as a team since Vance came into his life about three years ago from Lions Foundation of Canada, which is headquartered in Oakville. Watching the two walk with purpose and in stride together as they delivered papers on a Friday afternoon, she said Vance is a perfect companion for her son. "They're a good team together when they're walking," she said. "Vance knows exactly where to stop." Vance will also sit by a nearby dog bed as Nick prepares the papers for delivery with guidance from either Swant or his caregiver. "He does really good. He knows we have a wagon, he knows we have two big blue buckets to put the newspapers in," she said, "but everything is organized, so he knows exactly where to get it." Swant said the job has made Scarpelli a productive person in society and itfe offered an opportunity for community members to get to know a person who has autism. She has run into a number of neighbours who have been supportive of Scarpelli, even offering him a $50 tip one Christmas, which she noted they didn't accept, explaining to the man Scarpelli wasn't delivering newspapers for the money, but rather the enjoyment of the responsibility However, with the money Scarpelli has earned over the years, he' s been able to purchase a bike, which took him three years to learn how to ride, and an iPad. Some of the money has also been invested in a Registered Disability Saving Plan. Swant says autism is complex and in her son' s case, routine and consistency helps ease his anxiety and stress. They've been regularly visiting their new home in Grimsby to help transition him before the actual move in January. Once they're settled into the new home, she hopes to re-introduce a paper route to Scarpelli' s weekly routine. No More Allergy Symptoms Heal quickly naturally & painlessly without medication FREE 1 HOUR CONSULTATION All Natural Solutions C hristin e Ng, R .H .N ., R.A C BUY ONE ENTREE DISH AND RECEIVE BOOK Your Ch ristm as OR c o r po r a te functions NOW AND receive b u y o n e p it a Not valid with any other offer. Expiry December 15,2016 $6.00 OFF A 2ND ENTREE DISH HALF PRICE OFF A 2ND PITA Not valid with any other offer. Expiry Decem ber15,2016 AND RECEIVE For more information & services please refer to our website: www.noallergiesplease.com Contact us @ noallergiesplease.com (9 0 5 ) 8 2 5 -3 5 2 8 376 Iroquois Shore Rd. Oakville i.845.7937 Weekdays 11 am-3am · Weekends 11 am-4am www.montfortrestaurants.com