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

Wednesday, April 14, 1999 2345 Fainriew St. I 4121 Moms Dr. 632-8151 1634-4211 GALLFORANAPPOVnMENn THE OAKVILLE BEAVER oakv"-l¥ $ £ $ t „ ' -0 AUVv ^ L 'QRAr?y B1 Focus OFFICIAL M M M SPONSOR OF THg OANV&L8 W A1W RONT FESTIVAL Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 (Extension 250) Fax: 337-5567 BARGAIN-RATE ^ CAR INSURANCE WITH BARGAIN- Wayne McGill RATE SERVICE IS 2348* * £ £ : ' * * NO BARGAIN. Don't trust just anyone to insure your car, see me: »->--> ins through Otter for the trip to Lukla, start­ ing point for Everest climbers. "It was an eventful landing," he explains, "we had to land on a airstrip on the side of a moun­ tain." The students and their two teacher chaperones - the other was Lisa Wilhelm, junior divi­ sion science teacher, plus some 20 local sherpas, cooks and guides trekked through the val­ ley system enroute to Mount Everest in an area known as the Khumba Region. They covered at least 50 kilometres on a 10-day return trip, where they spent most nights at camp, erected each night by the sherpas. In Namche Bazar they partic­ ipated in a tree planting ceremo­ ny, planted a few trees along the less steep mountain areas, and made a donation on behalf of the school towards the reforesta­ tion work and to build a stone wall to help stop erosion, explains DeFabrizio. "We saw severe environmental degrada­ tion there. The slopes are very steep and dry, and the soil erodes easily." In Namche Bazar, they spent the night at a tea house. Next stop along the trail was Khunde, where the students toured a hospital built by the Sir Edmund Hillary Foundation. Then it was on to Khumjung to visit a school, also built by this foundation. They learned this organization also built a school in Namche Bazar. At the schools the students distributed pens, notebooks, maps and other sup­ plies donated by MacLachlan College. 'To the people of Nepal, a pen is the next best thing to having money." The most moving cultural part of the trip was a visit to a Buddhist monastery in Thyangboche, "perhaps the highest monastery in the world, offering a commanding view of Mount Everest just 20 kilome­ tres away. The experience was both spectacular and spiritual." The group experienced a Buddhist ceremony inside the monastery. Along the trek, the students had to cross long bridges, "some of them high tech ones built by Photos by John DeFabrizio, Special to the Beaver Trekking through Nepal, with a view of ML Kangtega in the back­ ground, are (from left) Lisa Wilhelm, a teacher from MacLachlan College, trek leader Judy Moore of Everest Trekking, and student David Adizes. INSET: student Eric Butler and teacher John DeFabrizio of MacLachlan College on the trail; RIGHT, crossing an old bridge draped with prayer flags between Tok Tok and Namche Bazar; BELOW: Eric Butler in Namche Bazar; and TOP RIGHT, Lisa Wilhelm (left) and Judy Moore in Bhaktapur near Kathmandu. By Wilma Blokhuis BEAVER FOCUS EDITOR even senior students from MacLachlan College spent an extended March Break trekking through Nepal, combining a sightseeing and cultural adventure with a humanitarian effort. 'The scenery was just spec­ tacular," says John DeFabrizio, head of geography and the school's Duke of Edinburgh program leader. The 18-day trip included 14 days in Nepal, and a three-day stopover in Hong Kong. "It was quite an eye opener for the stu­ dents to step out of the affluent city in Hong Kong into Kathmandu, Nepal," says DeFabrizio. "Kathmandu looks like it was hit by a bomb with some sections of it rebuilt. It's not anything like Hong Kong." The students spent the first two days in Nepal sightseeing and shopping in Kathmandu. 'They used the barter system so it gave the students a chance to apply their negotiating skills," explains DeFabrizio. Then they boarded a Twin Nepal the Swiss, and others so old you had to really watch your step." From here the group trekked back to Lukla, where they met a American expedition enroute to climb Mount Everest. 'The trip was a cultural and education experience for the stu­ dents," concludes DeFabrizio, adding the trip was offered to the school's senior students after executive director Audrey Hadfield made the trip about 18 months ago and felt the experi­ ence would be of benefit to stu­ dents. "We had seven excellent stu­ dents apply, and all of them went. Six of the seven who applied are in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards program. We couldn't have had seven better students asking to go," said DeFabrizio. The students paid their own way. "Some of them liked it so much they would like to go back with their families." All of them were 18, and either in Grade 12 or the OAC pro­ gram. The students also expressed an interest in undertaking a school project to help schools in Nepal. 'They've seen the dire need of the people," concludes DeFabrizio. " The trip was arranged through Everest Trekking by Judy Moore of Oakville, who accompanied the group. It was the school's first trip. WHO 5 AY5 Y o U HAVE? TO WEAK A 5 U n TO CARRY A CELL p h o n e ? ^ £ .* & $ 4 -v * <?*««&*** i I I The Q C P 1 92 0 '" and its ' CD M A M te chno log y have been | deve loped by Q U A LC O M M introducing Digital PCS *35/350 M I N U T E S • 5^«> HUH 1 10O anytime h i$0 tettond wivknixh«s> • Ih s iili! phones storting v, Lm ,t> $*>> • N«> Contract • h*r-sec»>mi billing Tw r i and CdfuMbon* Apfriy. White Suppiaa Last lim ited Tim* Offtr. Start* for Dttatlt. tTrada-marii of Bail Canada UtadUndtr L ionet. AH Odktr Tradt-mariui art th* Property of Thtif Rttpediv* Hokters Get what you Really W ant. 15 years experience Thousands of ' satisfied patients Certified Plastic Surgeon Financing Available Inspected Private Facility No Hospital Stay Required Enhance your bust line Breast augmentation can change your life! Safe saline implants can give you that "something extra." Reduce your waist line Liposuction can help when exercise and diet have failed. Improve your appearance Cosmetic facial surgery and laser resurfacing can remove years from your face! Call 6 3 4 -5 5 7 3 NOW for yo u r com plim entary consultation. OFFER EXPIRES FRIDAY, APRIL 23, 1999. The Centre for Personal Surgery O tto W e ig le in B.Sc., M .D . FRCSC 520 LOCUST ST., BURLINGTON (905) 634-5573 • (800) 558-7508 NATIONAL (CELLULAR t Personal Communications Centres Erin Mills Town Centre, Mississauga (905) 820-9200 422 Speers Rd. Oakville, (905) 338-9200 Oakville Place, Oakville (905) 815-9200 Square One, Mississauga (905) 276-9200 Woodbine Centre, Etobicoke. (416) 679-9200 3105 Unity Dr, Unit #29 Mississauga <905)828-9200 1490 Dundas St. E Mississauga (905) 848-2555 B o / / M o b i l i t y