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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, July 27, 2012 · 6 Opinion & Letters 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5566 Classified Advertising: 632-4440 Circulation: 905-631-6095 -- 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. The Oakville Beaver THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Canadian Circulation Audit Board Member THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Suburban Newspapers of America Canadian Community Newspapers Association ATHENA Award Neil Oliver Vice ­ President and Group Publisher of Metroland West The OakvilleBeaver is a division of David Harvey Regional General Manager JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief Daniel Baird Advertising Director ANGELA BLACKBURN Managing Editor Riziero Vertolli Photography Director Sandy Pare Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production Manuel garcia Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution KIM MOSSMAN Circ. Manager Reveling in Olympic glory As the 2012 Olympic Games officially kick off in east London, Great Britain, today, Canada's hopes for Olympic glory will rest on the shoulders of 277 qualifying athletes competing in 26 sports disciplines over the next two weeks. Among Canada's contingent of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, the communities of Oakville, Burlington and Milton will send a total of 10 athletes who will proudly don the red and white colours of our nation. While Oakville's Adam van Koeverden (kayak) and Burlington's Mark Oldershaw (canoe) are both considered strong candidates for podium finishes at these Games, others preparing to make their Olympic mark include Burlington siblings Sinead and Colin Russell (swimming), Milton's David Marcus (dressage) and Oakville's Tera Van Beilen (swimming), Diana Matheson (soccer), Kyle Jones (triathlon) and Doug Csima (rowing). Also heading to London -- for the Paralympics (Aug. 29-Sept. 9) -- is Burlington's Brandon Wagner, who will aim for gold as a member of Canada's wheelchair basketball team. Meanwhile, Oakville resident Jennifer Knobbs will compete for England in synchronized swimming, David Wright, formerly of Oakville, will carry Canada's colours in sailing (laser). Also, Oakville's Jessica Savona (gymnastics) and Burlington's Melanie Booth (soccer) will serve as alternates to Canadian teams in their respective sports. We'll be keeping an eye out for all of these athletes while we cheer them on in each of their particular sports and hope that you join us as well. For those who can still remember being inspired by those `I Believe' moments of 2010 when Vancouver hosted the winter Olympics, or when Beijing welcomed the world in 2008, London represents yet another opportunity to witness our world's top athletes striving to achieve greatness on a global stage. Our hope is that our local and national Olympians will embody the spirit of good sportsmanship and provide us with moments that make us proud to call ourselves Canadian. Go Canada! The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline. Happy ending Letter to the editor Letters to the editor The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Message clear on concussions May I share some information on concussions that came in my July 5 issue of Scientific American. Repeated head injuries among NFL players have been found to lead to severe memory problems and neurodegenerative disease, including Parkinson's disease. Mohammed Ali is a tragic example. The Journal of Pediatrics 2010 has reported that 42 per cent of pediatric concussions seen in emergency rooms involve high school students. Unconsciousness is only one consequence of a concussion. The most common and least recognizable symptoms are "seeing stars," headache, dizziness, irritability, and an inability to remember events before and after the injury. Parents and coaches must be aware of these symptoms. Worse, children and teenagers overtax their injured brain when they continue to play when they should not. While protective gear in football and hockey gives some protection, it may also give a false sense of security. The message is clear. Boards of education, schools, and sports leagues should join public health experts in raising awareness among coaches, parents, and children of the dangers of brain injury, especially in football and hockey. Coaches, in particular, should have a preseason workshop on the subject. Comprehensive information and videos may be found at www.cdc.gov/concussion. Kenneth Aquan-Assee, Oakville Editor's note: The Town of Oakville recently announced the launch of a Concussion Awareness campaign, which will include public information sessions with sports organizations educating them on signs and symptoms, prevention tips and other information on head injuries. For more, visit www.oakville.ca. Over a year ago, (wintertime), I wrote a letter to The Oakville Beaver, which was printed, to tell of a stray cat I fed and housed in an insulated box on my patio deck and to warn of the dangers of allowing a cat to roam free. The letter reported how one morning I found large lumps of her fur on the deck, and no sign of Daisy, (my name for her). It seemed that she had had a fight with a roaming coyote and came off the loser. I did not see her again after that sad day, until -- and very much to my great surprise -- a week ago, there was Daisy, sitting on my patio doorstep, nicely groomed and with a bright red belled collar. She now turns up every morning, to say "hello," and also re-arrives in the evening before returning to her new home, which must be nearby. I can only surmise that when she escaped from the coyote, she found herself in unfamiliar territory; eventually finding another household to take her indoors and care for her -- an obvious improvement on the accommodation that I had provided. However, I can only hope that her new owners keep her indoors at night, as they obviously do not during the day, because she may not be so fortunate this coming winter. A happy ending ­ and may it continue. Anthony P. Browne, Oakville Help identify We recently found this gorgeous butterfly measuring seven inches -- no kidding -- in our garden. I was wondering if anyone can identify this majestic beast? I haven't had any luck. Noreen Higgins, Oakville Editor's note: A staffer believes it's a cercopia moth. Readers, what do you think?