6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 30, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. NEIL OLIVER Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director TERI CASAS Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager A night to remember Come rain or shine, they will turn out in droves. They will be dressed in silly costumes, lugging camping equipment and anything else they will need for the big party. Yes, a party because that is what the atmosphere will be like Friday evening as the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life gets ready to roll for another year at Appleby College. For those Oakville residents who have yet to attend this phenomenal fundraiser, you don't know what you are missing. It's an exhilarating event that manages to blend fun with the reality of cancer. The college grounds are turned into a sea of wonderful people either walking or running to help beat this insidious disease. Usually the teams are participating on behalf of a cancer survivor or in memory of a loved one or colleague. The Cancer Society describes Relay for Life as a "community celebration of survival, a tribute to the lives of loved ones and a night of... friendship and fundraising to beat cancer." It is also a night of raw emotions. There is never a dry eye among the participants as the cancer survivors proudly start the event with a special Victory Lap. Supported by family and friends, the survivors, young and old, make their way around the track. It is a memorable sight for all of the participants. As the sun starts to dip, hundreds of luminaries are lit -- each flickering flame a reminder of someone who has bravely encountered cancer. Oakville's Relay for Life has a successful history. Last year, the popular event attracted 184 teams and raised $537,000. This year, organizers hope to see the total amount raised soar to $613,000. We are sure it can be done. Relay for Life depends not only on the teams, but the huge numbers of volunteers who work tirelessly all year to make it happen. They deserve a round of applause, no, make that a standing ovation, for their dedication to this fundraiser. Thank you for making Oakville a kinder place in which to live. And thank you for ensuring that cancer has no place to hide. 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. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Thanks to community for improving Donovan Bailey Park We would like to thank the horde of cheerful volunteers and Town employees who descended on Donovan Bailey Park Saturday morning and planted nine, freshly-dug beds with literally hundreds of native, flowering shrubs and small trees, maple and sumac, dogwood, honeysuckle and others. What a beautiful sight to see, plants and people doing each other proud! The planting was organized and executed by a combination of Ground Breakers Oakville, Evergreen Canada, Field and Stream Rescue Team, Rotary Club and the Town of Oakville. Local residents (like us) were invited to help out as well. We were provided with shovels and gloves and refreshments. The weather was superb and there was a fabulous turn out of all ages. It was fun. So, thank you very much one and all. KAREN AND DOUG ALTON P.S. Thank you also to whomever is responsible for the blue, Dog Poop Pick-up Bag dispensers located at both entrances to this section of the park. These will be a boon to responsible dog owners who are just a bit absentminded. Forgot your bag? No worries! Thanks for stooping and scooping. Welcomed addition Disrespectful dog owners need to clean up their act on Kerr Street I would just like to comment on how many dog owners walk the dog up and down Kerr Street, allowing them to urinate on the doorways of residents and businesses. My goodness, there is enough green space for this. With hot and humid conditions, who wants that at the doorstep? Maybe you should be followed home, and see what is at your doorstep. Have some respect for those who live on Kerr. STEVE FAIRMAN 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. Pud BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com