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•T he I FP • H al to n H ill s •T hu rs d ay , M ar ch 2 8, 2 01 3 6 OPINION With a full week of spring complete and the promise of warmer weather to come (we hope), Halton Region's Health Department has sent a reminder there is also an inherent danger to this season as well. Spring and summer seasons can bring more encounters with wild animals and with it an increased risk for exposure to rabies. "The incidence of rabies has been declin- ing over the past few years but people still need to take precautions not only to protect their pets, but also their family and them- selves," said Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton Region Medical Offi cer of Health. Rabies is a viral disease that causes swell- ing in the brain and spinal cord which is fatal. The virus is spread through infected saliva, usually entering through a bite. Com- mon carriers of the disease are bats, rac- coons, foxes and skunks. Infected animals may show unwarranted aggression or be un- usually tame and froth at the mouth. As a general rule, people are advised to stay away from wild animals but there are a number of things you can also do: • Do not touch dead or sick animals • Do not feed or touch wild animals and do not try to keep them as pets • Seek medical attention immediately if you come in contact with a bat or other potentially rabid animals • Report all animal bites or scratches to the Health Department • Make sure your pet is vaccinated against rabies For more information on rabies call the Halton Region Health Department by dial- ing 311. The Independent & Free Press is published Tuesday and Thursday and is one of several Metroland Media Group Ltd. community newspapers. Edi- torial and advertising content of The Independent & Free Press is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Independent & Free Press Health warning Steve Nease Letters to the editor Dear editor, I'm writing this letter in regards to the "last skate" at the Memorial Arena. I speak for many when I say that I am more than saddened and disappointed at the Town's lack of involvement in allowing local resi- dents to come in celebrate, skate and say our goodbyes properly. The fi nal skate was at the end of March Break. Why was something not planned for the entire week? I grew up skating on that ice and training for gymnastics up in the Rose room. This historical build- ing has been there for 91 years. It breaks my heart to see this building demolished for condos all in the name of progress. Yes, we have the "Homecoming" to say our fi nal goodbyes, but for the kids and residents who grew up using that ice, "Homecoming" doesn't do it justice. This building has been dis- missed just like the Barber Mill. I honestly believe that the Town should take more pride in its heritage. We all need to show more respect for our elders who helped create this wonderful town that we live in today. Teresa Pollitt Georgetown Letters policy 905-873-0301 Publisher: Dana Robbins General manager: Steve Foreman (sforeman@theifp.ca) Retail advertising manager: Cindi Campbell (ccampbell@theifp.ca) Managing editor: John McGhie (jmcghie@theifp.ca) Distribution manager: Nancy Geissler (ngeissler@theifp.ca) Classifi eds Kristie Pells (classifi ed@theifp.ca) Accounting Rose Marie Gauthier Editorial Cynthia Gamble: News editor (cgamble@theifp.ca) Ted Brown: Photography (tbrown@theifp.ca) Lisa Tallyn: Staff writer (ltallyn@theifp.ca) Eamonn Maher: Staff writer/sports (emaher@theifp.ca) The Memorial Arena is scheduled for demoli- tion this fall. What should the Town do? • Find a way to keep all or a portion of the building (65%) • Demolish the building, but sell bricks and interior elements for the arena fundraising campaign (28%) • Demolish the 91-year-old building and sell the land to developers (7%) WEB POLL RESULTS (Go to www.theifp.ca) Lack of Memorial info disappointing Letters must include an address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters should not exceed 150 words and may be edited for content and/or length. Publication is not guaranteed. Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca Mail or drop off: Independent & Free Press, 280 Guelph St., Unit 29, Georgetown, ON., L7G 4B1. CtK teachers say thanks for fundraiser Dear editor, We are teachers at Christ the King Catholic Secondary School and would like to take this opportu- nity to thank our students and their families for their generous dona- tions and fundraising efforts in support of our school's Christmas fundraiser (better late than never). The fundraiser our school champions every year is Chalice, a Christian-based charity that pro- vides food, shelter, educational materials, and other necessities to third-world countries. Our students this year collabo- rated in a bake sale, collected dona- tions door to door and provided caricature drawings for dona- tions. Our classes combined raised $3,000. These amazing 56 students contributed an average of $53 per student, much of which came from their own pockets. In an age of self-indulgence and the media's increasing focus on the self, these students asked their parents to do- nate rather than buy them frivolous items for Christmas. The time and monetary sacri- fi ces, as well as the compassion of these students, are truly admi- rable and demonstrate their ability to work toward a common goal. Their enthusiasm and leadership in fundraising are a testament to the potential our youth possess. Our school is truly blessed to have such thoughtful and selfl ess students. Ivana Lauc and Ken Flynn English Teachers Christ the King Secondary School