St. John cadet sergeant wins first aid competition By PATRICIA MARTIN Special to the Beaver Who says that chivalry is dead? Did you know that St. John Ambulance is the oldest order of chivalry recognized by the Queen? And Jonathan Benoit is but one of its knights. Jonathan Benoit is a Sergeant at the Oakville branch of St. John Ambulance. He is in charge of the cadet section of the Brigade, three corporals, and is the divisional public relations correspondent. He also aids with the instruction of first aid. He has been in the organization for approximately six years, devoting over 400 duty hours in five years. Quite an accomplishment for a 16â€" yearâ€"old! Jon has had his skills tested on a number of occasions such as during a hockey game in January when he was on duty. "We were just watching the A look at agencies working with Oakville United Way Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch offers twoâ€" day workshops to train caregivers and the general public in how to intervene in a suicide situation. Next workshop will be Sept. 16th and 17th. Call 845â€"5044 for details. Red Cross, Oakville Branch reports that the last three Oakville blood clinics have not met projected goal of units colâ€" lected. We are encouraging Oakville citizens to visit their nearest blood clinic and bring a friend before heading off on their summer vacation. wihe Â¥ Aug. 27 Red Cross "Black Tie & Golf Shoes." Glen Abbey Golf Course, Le Dome Banquet Hall. For information call Mary Ellen Frederick 845â€"5241. *Â¥ July 22 Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic. Towne Chev Olds Geo, 547 Trafalgar Road 1:30 â€" 8 p.m. *Â¥ Sept. 26 United Way of Oakville Launch & Bathtub Race Lakeshore Rd. between Navy and Trafalgar. §¥ July 21 United Way of Oakville Annual Golf Tournament Wyldewood Golf and Country Club, 12 noon shotgun start. Contact Michael Pratt 844â€"0771 or United Way Office 845â€"5571. §¥ Sept. 6 Challenger Pro Am, "United Way Day" Glen Abbey Golf Club. Advance ticket price $10. CAREâ€"Y SAYâ€"Z: "United Way member agencies touch the lives of 38,000 Oakvillians every The Canadian game when I heard that a gentle m an was slashed in the artery," said Jon. " T h e y called us (the St. John Ambulance Brigade) and With his years of training, Jon was able to take control of the situation and immediately placed a bandage on the wound and applied pressure. The injured man was then mounted on a stretcher and carried to the first aid room. Villenu and I C i e c, ag ~ were the first to arrive with the first aid kit." "We wrapped a tourniquet around his leg, maintained pressure and kept the foot elevated," said Jon. "The Recovered alcoholic turned to social work, helps others overcome addiction By PATRICIA MARTIN Special to the Beaver Where do you turn when a crisis arises in your life? Do you turn to a loved one for support or go to church for guidance? Or do you look to drugs or alcohol for an answer like 12â€"yearâ€"old Bob did? At the young age of 12, Bob (not his real name) began to abuse alcohol and drugs. "My way of dealing with things was to get inebriated or high," he said. "I was in an altered state of mind all the time when I could be that way. Then one day I decided that it had to stop." Bob entered his first recovery program at the age of 16. Since that time, he entered five, 28â€"day programs in the Jon Benoit Working together...the United Way. We are proud supporters of the Oakville United Way, making our community a better place to live. _ Shown clockwise from the left are: Greg Norman, 1992 defending Canadian Open champion; Jim O‘Connor president and CEO, Ford of Canada, presenting a sponsorship cheque to Sue Hierlihy; Ross Hutchinson, 1993 Challenger Golf Chairman, accepting the proceeds for 1992 from Karen Grimm and Mike Watt from Canadian Open; and trick golfer Dennis Walters who will again bring his show to the Open on Challenger Pro Am Day, Monday Sept. 6th. Jon recalls the event as the most daring test of his skills; however, it was not his only one. Jon has seen everything from seizures to people suffering from heat exhaustion. "During everyday life you see things," he said. "One day I saw a girl who got her foot caught in her bicycle wheel, and she had broken her ankle, so I did first aid. I‘ve had my fair share of experiences. Without having taken my First Aid, I probably would have been lost." In April, Jon‘s skills proved sucâ€" cessful once again as he and partner Elizabeth Meideros took the Intermediate Class of the Southern Area Provincial Competition for Cadets. * ambulance came and picked him up Blood was everywhere!" Jon says that St. John Ambulance is one of the best organizations around. "It let‘s me help many people, and that‘s what I like doing," he said. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER Eileen Martindale, administrator at Halton Recovery House, says that 67% of the men who enter the program, complete the 90 day program (three months without a sinâ€" gle drink). "Some guys have had difficulty putting five days together without a drink," she said, "so 90 days is a major stepping stone." Joe G. who is a graduate of the program, says that the turn around in behavior of graduates is miraculous. "The quality of life they now have and the positive relationships they are building with families and loved ones is someâ€" thing which they were not able to do before," he said. Bob says that before he came to Halton Recovery House, he had an "overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction" even if drugs and alcohol would make everything seem OK. I was married and had a couple of daughters," he said. "I treated them really good when I felt like it; when I felt like loving. But when I didn‘t feel like it, I went away or took drugs." When Bob finally sought help at Halton Recovery House, he began to do the things which he didn‘t feel like doing, such as giving love. "But the more I did it, the more natural it became," he said. "I was really selfish before." Currently, Bob is a social worker and sees men dealing the same difficulty he had prior to seeking assistance at Halton Recovery House. "It is just an inability to give and receive love; an inability to deal with people," he said. Halton Recovery House is a three month residential treatment program for male alcoholics or those cross addicted to alcohol and drugs. Individual and group theraâ€" py is offered, as well as life skills, budgeting and follow up programs. A Family Support Group program is also available for the loved ones of the client. "They offered something different here (Halton Recovery House) than anything I‘ve ever been to," said Bob. "This program represented more realistically what I needed. It is the approach they take; the philosophy that an *alcoholic or addict is merely a person with an inability to give or receive love.‘ " hopes of finding something which would give him the reaâ€" sons or answers he needed to quit the abuse. Then one day, Bob enrolled at Halton Recovery House which offered Chartered Accountants and Management Consultants Reaches Out united way of oakville Make the United Way your Canadian Opéh Headquarters. Have fun and help to build our community the "United Way." M The Challenger Proâ€"Am event promises to be a fun day for the entire family. Last year it raised $22,400 in support of the 38,000 people who need and use United Way memâ€" ber agency services. T Tickets are $10 in advance and are available at the United Way office, 84 Chisholm St. 845â€"5571. Canadian Open Any Day passes may also be purchased at the United Way office, 83 Chisholm St.S., 845â€"5571. /R For another year, Ford of Canada will be the overall sponsor of the Challenger Proâ€"Am event. SmithKline Beecham Pharma Inc. and Royal Bank of Canada are coâ€" sponsors of the Dennis Walters Golf Show. 3 Returning by popular demand is the Dennis Waltéts Golf Show; often referred to as "golf‘s most inspiring hour." Dennis was diagnosed as a Tâ€"12â€"level paraplegit, after the brakes failed on the golf cart he was driving, causing severe spinal cord damage. Although he was told that he would never walk again, Dennis returned home after five months of rehabilitation and almost immediatély picked up his golf clubs. Dennis is an inspiration to anyone who sees him. His audience is promised a taste of his good humor and everyâ€" one will be impressed by his skill, courage and determinaâ€" tion. va The Oakville United Way is very proud of its associaâ€" tion with the Canadian Open, Canada‘s premier golfing event. Again this year, United Way, in conjunction with the Canadian Open, will sponsor the Challenger Proâ€"Am on Labour Day, Monday, Sept. 6th. F The event begins with a golf clinic at 11 a.m. where a professional golfer instructs the audience. Last year, tourâ€" ing pro Greg Twiggs delighted golfers who searched for the magic which would make them play like pros. * United Way sponsors Challenger Proâ€"Am Tickets available at the United Way of Oakville, 84 Chishoim St., 845â€"5571, or at it‘s member agencies. Tickets may also purchased at any Royal Bank location in Oakville.. f CANADIAN OPEN CHALLENGER PROâ€"AM Jim says: "It is a tribute to the strong commitment by the people of Oakville to the wellâ€"being of the town that this community continues to be a United Way leader, placed among the top 10 campaigns in Canada." Jim Ayres, a partner at Deloitte & Touche, is the 1993 president of the United Way of Oakville. Deloitte & Touche encourages their people to volâ€" unteer within their community. 11:00 a.m.Golfing Clinic 12:00 noon Dennis Walter Golf Show 1:00 p.m. Proâ€"Am Shot Gun Start the way to help the most... In support of United Way of Oakville Deloitte & Touche September 6t fAN SauthKing Beecham July 14, 1993 ROYAL BANK:‘ #10.00 +