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C4 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday. December 13, 2000 ` TI S T HE S E A S O N Ups for ensuring a safe and happy Christmas C hristmas is time of year that is looked forward to by many peo ple. Many love to shop or enjoy getting together with family and friends. Others enjoy opening presents the most while others prefer or going to Christmas parties. Unfortunately, we also have people who enjoy the many opportunities to commit a crime. The Halton Regional Police ask resi dents to be cautious during this busy hol iday season. Below are a few safety precautions and some personal awareness tips that can assist you in having a safe and happy Christmas. When driving, keep all doors locked to avoid unwanted persons enter Caroling in the Park tonight St. John's United Church holds its fourth annual Caroling in the Park at George's Square on Dec. 13th starting at 7:30 p.m. The Salvation Army Citadel Brass Band will accompany the caroling at the new gazebo. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight. There will be a visit from Santa, and the Scouts will be selling hot cider. Donations collected that evening will go to the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal. Caroling in the Park was launched by Jim and Babs McKnight, who brought the idea to Oakville from the Beaches area of Toronto when they came to St. John's. ing your vehicle at stops. Park in well-lit areas and lock all the doors. Your brief case, purse, lap top computer, packages etc. should not be visible through any window of your vehicle when left unattended. Do not leave children alone in a vehicle for any length of time. If you carry a purse, make sure it is closed and that the flap is against your body. Keep physical contact with your purse at all times. While out shopping, maintain physical contact with your purchases. Walk with confidence and be aware of your surroundings. Make quick eye contact with others around you. Keep children in your sight at all times. Leaving them alone in. a store aisle could put them in physical danger. Maintain a list of makes, models and serial numbers of your purchases in case of a theft. When receiving money from a store or banking machine, check to make sure that it is not counterfeit. Watch for people looking for your PIN number when making purchases with your debit card. Check the name on your credit card or debit card after each use to make sure that you get yours back. If shopping over the phone, only give your credit card information to known reputable companies which you have called. The Halton Regional Police wish you a safe and happy holiday season. For more information, contact Constable Gregg Davidson at 825-4747 ext. 2222. Smart serving tips for holiday parties As thousands of Oakville residents plan celebrations this holiday season, Smart Serve O ntario encourages everyone to celebrate responsibly, and has issued a series of tips to help keep special occasions safe and under con trol. "Holiday parties are very much a part of the season, and parties often involve alcohol consumption. But to keep guests from drinking excessively, the bar should not be the main focus of the event," said Diane Stefaniak, exec utive director of Smart Serve Ontario. Ontario Minister of Consumer and Com m ercial Relations, Bob Runciman, agreed that responsible planning is important to ensuring a successful holiday event. "Ontario has much to celebrate, and many people will be raising a toast to new jobs, a booming economy and lower taxes. In planning these festive events, however, we must all take care to ensure safety and responsibility," Runciman said. Among the advice Smart Serve Ontario offers for planning a happy and safe holiday party: Allow only designated servers to pour alcohol. Do not allow self-ser vice. A self-serve bar encourages heavy drinking and denies bartenders the opportunity to assess the condition of your guests. Serve food and snacks to slow the absorption o f alcohol. · Serve sugar-free ginger ale, tonic and other mixers. Provide attractive and tasty non alcoholic beverages. If you are serving an alcoholic punch, use non-carbonated beverages in it, because this helps slow the absorption rate of alcohol. Station the bar far from the door, in a spot where people aren't always passing it. The bar should be in a convenient location, but do not make it the centre of activity. Do not plan to have servers cir culating around the room, refilling people's glasses. People often accept drinks they don't really need. Stop serving alcohol a few hours before the event is over. Bring out more non-alcoholic drinks and food. Promote the concept of respon sible consumption by posting signs. Further information, including the recently updated brochure, Tips for a Safe Event, is available from Smart Serve Ontario. Call toll-free 1-877620-6082 or visit the website at www.smartserve.ca. Smart Serve Ontario is a division of the H ospitality Industry Training Organization of Ontario. The Smart Serve Responsible Server Training Program -- which provides training to Ontario hospitality industry employ ees who serve alcohol or work where alcohol beverages are served -- recently reached a major milestone, having trained more than 200,000 individuals. In addition, the program has expanded and is now available in French. W e know you can SHlg "Silent Night"... we'll help you p > la y it ! At Steve Loates Keyboard Centre, you'll find a tremendous selection of Yamaha Grand Pianos. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, our expert staff will help you choose a piano that suits you and your playing needs. We are committed to making sure that you will enjoy your musical investment for years to come. Yamaha Grand Pianos sale pricedfrom $9888 STEVE LOATES B u rlin g to n 2 3 8 8 Fairview St., (west of Guelph Line) 6 3 9 -4 4 6 5 H a m ilto n 1 4 0 0 Upper Jam es (in White Rose Plaza) 3 88 -0 0 4 2 m KEYBOARD CEN TRE www.keyboardcentre.com SALE P R I C E S END SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1 7, 2 0 0 0 , W H I L E Q U A N T I TI ES LAST Personal shopping only. Some items may have been on sale during the past week. Savings cannot be combined with any other savings offers. Sale ends Sunday Late-breaking savings! These great specials are too good to miss! SAVE ON REGULAR-PRICED HOLIDAY . DRESSWEAR FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Save 30% on women's reg.-priced holiday dresswear. Save 30% on kids' dresses & dressy sets. Save 30-40% on men's selected reg.-priced holiday dresswear. SAVE ON MEN'S & WOMEN'S NATIONAL BRAND ATHLETIC FASHIONS AND MEN'S, WOMEN'S & KIDS' ATHLETIC FOOTWEAR Save 30% on all women's national brand athletic fashions. Save 25% on all men's national brand athletic fashions. Now save 2 5 % * on athletic footwear for the whole family. 'S avings are taken from Sears original ticketed prices. Some prices may previously have been marked down save 25 % MEN'S AND WOMEN'S REGULAR-PRICED NATIONAL BRAND DENIM Includes Buffalo®, Manager®, Ikeda®, Levi's® Guess brands and more. Selection varies by store SAVE ON SLEEPWEAR AND SLIPPERS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Save 25-30% on women's robes, loungewear and sleepwear, excluding licensed brands. Save 25-50% on men's robes, loungewear and sleepwear. Save 30-40% on kids' robes and sleepwear. Now save 2 5 -4 0 % * on slippers for the whole family. Selection may vary by store save 30 % now save REGULAR-PRICED FALL AND WINTER NEVADA® FASHIONS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Includes all reg.-priced tops and bottoms for men, women and kids. Selection may vary by store 25-30% * MEN'S REG.-PRICED FALL AND WINTER FASHIONS Includes Arnold Palmer Golf. Private M em b er. John Henry and Jantzen fashion labels and more. NP1232600 Visit Sears Oakville Place Mon.-Fri. 9:30 am-10:00 pm. Sat. 7:00 am-11:00 pm. Sun. 10 am-7 pm. Copyright 2000. Sears Canada Inc.