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I Wednesdsay October 4, 2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A5 J u n e C a llw o o d : m a k i n g k in d n e s s c o n ta g io u s Author, social activist offers personal philosophy of life By Sandra Omand SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Although jokingly describing herself as "somewhere between calcium supple ments and dead," June Callwood galva nized a young audience with her simple message of kindness to others and per sonal stories of giving. The renowned author, journalist and humanitarian held an international dele gation of students enraptured during her address at the Round Square Conference at Appleby College on Saturday. Afterwards, many lined up to ask ques tions and have their pictures taken with her. Callwood, the keynote speaker at the opening of the six-day conference, is the author of 28 books and the founder of 50 charitable organizations. Married for 56 years to sports writer Trent Frayne, Callwood's many accom plishments coincided with raising four children, one of whom is disabled. She offered the students what she calls "travel tips" as they go through life, starting with developing their own per sonal philosophy. "You want to like yourself. You want to feel that the person you are becoming is a lifelong friend, who will not betray you in a crisis," said Callwood. The grandmother of five has had her share of suffering not the least of which was the loss of a son who was killed by a drunk driver on April 19, 1982. Despite her personal tragedy, she remains a model of optimism. She also feels strongly that we, as humans, have an obligation to help each other and that our own happiness is woven inextricably with the happiness of others. "The people the world celebrates are not the richest people on the planet or the victorious generals: instead they are the givers, carriers of the doctrines of justice and compassion, the people who touch hearts because they watch out for the well-being of others, and steer their lives on a course of human betterment," said Callwood. She cautioned there is a right and a wrong way to go about helping others. She said it is crucial that good deeds do not patronize the recipients or come attached with an expectation of apprecia tion. Nor should they be done without regard to the recipient. "Givers sometimes fall into the error of deciding unilaterally, without consul tation, what is best for someone else and then they're affronted if the person is not appreciative," said Callwood. "Help has to be defined by the person who gets it, not the person who gives it." The wonderful thing about kindness, Callwood said, is its contagious. Photo by Riziero Vertolli June Callwood: our obligation to help each other "Acts of consideration for others are expressions of the divinity within you. What else is your best self, but the God inside," said Callwood. She pointed out that while feeding the hungry and comforting the homeless are good works, the students should also give some careful thought and research into their root causes. "Everything else is essentially a Band-Aid, and the Band-Aids are leak ing blood." Callwood credits her compulsion to intervene when something is wrong, no matter how inconvenient it may be, to her experience growing up in a small French Canadian community in southern Ontario. Although the people living in Belle River were poor, Callwood said they helped each other and everyone watched over the children. "Every adult was a caring parent, so we were always blissfully safe," said Callwood. She feels that a village-like sentiment of watching out for each other is the basis upon which the world as a whole should operate. Callwood said none of us can get off the hook by saying "it isn't my job" or "someone else will take care of it." She told the students they are just as guilty as the perpetrators if they witness an injustice or someone in trouble and do nothing. "With practice, indifference to the suffering of others will cause you to lose all your goodness and you'll be very lonely without it." Callwood said if you develop habits of altruism when young, studies have shown that these people are more likely to continue to be involved in the com munity as adults. "There's nothing else that the students can accomplish in their lives that will matter as much to themselves as being someone that the community can rely on," said Callwood. She recommended the students be like the narrator in the novel "Catcher in the Rye". The character dreamt his job was to stand in a field of rye and catch any children in danger of going over the edge of the cliff. "People everywhere are going over the cliffs, so your job is to stop that hap pening." NOT NNING AT SBSSSS&w//"-/' :. ·////. r : · .V . / SAFE, EASY, AND SO EFFECTIVE. LOSE WHAT YOU NEED AND GET & ·Based on full program. Excludes product. H* afe perTM M u n n ^ c m c n t N m r tt it > m tl t 'c m r c s 637-6019 175 Plains Rd. E. BURLINGTON (next to La Feminique) 469-4532 1395 Abbey wood Rd. OAKVILLE (In the Bruno' s Fine Foods plaza) Sears stores close to you, close to home Major Appliances are available at the following locations: SALE PRICES END SUN., OCT. 8, OR WHERE SEARS IS CLOSED, SAT., OCT. 7,2000, WHILE QUANTITIES LAST North Georgian Mall. Barrie (705) 726-4451 /Upper Canada Mall, Newmarket (905) 898-2300 Markville Shopping Centre (905) 946-1866 Promenade Shopping Centre (905) 731-3388 Woodbridge Furniture & Appliances Store Hwy 7 & Weston Rd. (905) 850-6406 Maikham Furniture, Appliances & Home Imprarements Store Don Mills & Steeles Ave, Shops on Steeles & 404 (905)881-6600 Richmond Hill Furniture & Appliances Store Hwy. 7 and Yonge (905) 762-0870 Barrie Furniture & Appliances Store 400 8. Molson Park Drive (705) 727-9287 It's likethere's Prince failed to mention death of Pierre Trudeau (Continued from page A1) one person to start something, it takes many to finish it. "The conference, I hope, will look at how one person can make a differ ence, but then that person has to be part of a team," said Andrew. He cited examples such as Nelson Mandela, M ahatm a Ghandhi, Sir Winston Churchill, A lexander the Great, Ghengis Kahn and Kurt Hahn, founder of Outward Bound. All indi viduals who made a difference. Some in the audience were sur prised, however, when he failed to mention the death of Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Mayor Ann Mulvale, for example, who spoke briefly at the opening, paid tribute to Trudeau describing him as someone who "accomplished a great deal". Afterwards, when questioned about Trudeau's omission by reporters, Andrew said he did not feel it was appropriate to talk about Trudeau, since he was addressing an educational event. He added, however, that he had met Trudeau and had great respect for him. "I remember him as a marvelous man," he said. "When I was here at school back in 1977, we spent some very good times together. It's a great loss. My condolences to Canada and his family." Andrew then turned attention back to the conference and said the general idea of education is for a previous gen eration to pass on its knowledge and experience to the next. This conference is a direct expression o f that principle, he said. The Round Square movement is based on community service, outdoor adventure, international understanding, education for democracy and environ mental conservation. Last year, students from Appleby College volunteered their time to build a community centre in an isolated com munity in India, worked on a health centre in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya and helped construct a water line to a needy community north of Chiang Mai in Thailand. The conference concludes tomor row. 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