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12 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday July 25, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Halton Trauma Centre moves into view By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF L ike the issue of child abuse itself, the Halton Trauma Centre is no longer hidden away. The Halton Trauma Centre has moved from the rear of an industrial complex on the North Service Road and is now open for business on the street front of Lakeshore Road. Just west of Oakville Harbour, the centre at 64 Lakeshore Rd. is in the former premises of a credit union office. It boasts more than 400 sq. ft. additional space, has doubled its treatment rooms from two to four and though there was a $75,000 fundraising campaign to pay for the move -- Ilona Kopriva, who operates the adjacent funeral home, has given the centre a generous offer that will actually see it save money so it can treat more clients. That's all good news for executive director Darryl Hall who faces an otherwise shocking reality every day he goes to work. "The statistics of child abuse are really grim," said Hall. One in three girls and one in five boys will experience one of the forms of child abuse -- sexual, mental, emotional, or verbal -- before age 16. Hall is the first to admit it's not a which clients can be welcomed and treated, it is gaining visibility through increased awareness as well as its new location and it has made inroads in securing government funding. The centre treats 3,300 clients annually. That is through disclosed or investigated cases that are referred to it. Based on the statistics and Halton's population, Hall believes about 19,000 children are affected annually. "That's a really scary number," said Hall who laments that if the issue involved something else and "the incident rate was that high, there'd be a public outcry and funding would be issued very quickly. Because it is such a stigmatized topic, we struggle trying to find the annual funds to even come close to meeting the needs of the 3,300 we serve," he said. Before arriving at the centre in 2002, Hall worked at the United Way PHOTOS BY BARRIE ERSKINE / OAKVILLE BEAVER of Oakville and said he had an easier time raising the annual $1.2 million READY TO HELP: Darryl Hall, executive director of the Halton Trauma Centre, above, has been busy moving as needed there than he does raising the the centre relocated from the North Service Road to 64 Lakeshore Rd. $200,000 needed to come from donahappy issue that greets him daily late Jim Schey and Katie Kidd, who in 1980. tions to round out the annual budget however, the environment that greets recognized there was a need for treatWhile it still has a five-month of the Halton Trauma Centre. clients arriving for treatment will be ment of child victims of sexual abuse. waiting list, a growing population In fact, Hall is proud to say that much improved, he said. Hall said the facility has always and could easily use another the Oakville-based Halton centre has The Halton Trauma Centre was been centred in Oakville as the $100,000 on its $600,000 annual grown dramatically from the first established in Oakville in 1983, majority of support for it has come operating budget to clear caseload, it $50,000-annual budget operation it on a volunteer basis, by a trio of social from the southeast. is making gains. workers, the late Paul Bennett, the It gained some provincial funding It now has a bright, new home in See New page 13 FIRST 10 WEEKS ARE ON US!!! * save up to one-on-one support all-natural products grocery store food Jennifer lost 40 pounds and 54 inches As our clients vary, so do their results. Shorts BUTTERICK 5044 Skirt BUTTERICK 4993 our regular prices on selected SPRING & SUMMER abric, Drapery Upholstery Notions, Fabric, Draper y, Upholster y, Notions, Bedding, Ready eadyBedding, Ready-to-hang & more! OAKVILLE WEST 1500 Upper Middle Rd. W. (3rd Line, Sobey's Plaza) OAKVILLE EAST 380 Dundas St. E., Trafalgar Rd. (in Longo's Plaza @ Trafalgar) OAKVILLE SOUTHEAST Maple Grove Village 9th Line (Sobey's Plaza) JULY 23-29 ONLY McCALL'S PATTERNS Not valid with any other discounts. Entire In-Store Stock! 3.49 ea. 905-469-4532 905-257-2404 905-618-0058 now ...and up, per m or unit. Sale on selected in-stock merchandise. Not all items may be available in all stores. Look for the red sale tags. Fabricland now welcomes American Express® Cards ®: Used under license from American Express. www.herbalmagic.com *Excludes mandatory products, based on full program, not valid with any other coupons, offers or promotions. Limited time offer until July 28/07 Insertion date: Wed., July 25, 2007 (or other) Insertion 12-5 (or other) OPEN SUNDAYS Size: 5 X 91 Please set all address info here. Proof to 844140 Rebecca St. OAKVILLE Manager. 7728 844-7728