The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Wednesdsay June 27, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A3 Photo by Barrie Erskine Paramedics Roman Nowickyj and Nadine Bosscher with their new bikes. Bike Medics take to road thanks to restaurateur By W ilm a Blokhuis OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF When Eddie Tsang of ETCETERA, etc., restaurant in Bronte was asked to participate in a raffle to raise funds to provide mountain bikes for paramedics, he reached into his own pocket and donated four bicycles to launch Halton's Bike Medics team. The donation, worth more than $3,000, was made just in time for last weekend's Oakville Waterfront Festival, the Bike Medics' first assignment. Tsang also donated racks and saddle bags to carry paramedic equipment such as portable defibrillators, oxygen and communications gear. Tsang's donation is supported by Oakville Cycle & Sports, which assem bled the bicycles, and will service them for two years at no charge, and Raleigh Canada, also of Oakville, provided the bicycles at cost. The donation allowed Halton Region Health Department Paramedics to launch the Bike Medics ahead of schedule. They will be on patrol, in pairs, at big events across Halton where access may be difficult because of laige crowds, including the Oakville Jazz Festival, Midnight Madness, Summerfest, and next year's Burlington Sound of Music Festival. "If we save one life over the next five years, it will be worth it," says Tsang. "1 believe paramedics on bicycles is quite a unique idea, and with paramedics, every second counts." Tsang decided to donate the four bicycles when approached to make a contribution to a fundraising raffle to cover the cost of launching the Bike Medics program. "The donation was a pleasant sur prise," said Jim King, Director of Ambulance Services, Halton Region Health Department. "We went to see Eddie at ETCETERA, etc., looking for a meal, and next thing you know, he's giv ing us the bikes. "It happened so fast we were scram bling to find enough paramedics who are trained on bicycles to patrol the Oakville Waterfront Festival," added King. Eight paramedics have already been trained and five were on duty last week end. More paramedics will be trained, he added. "The bicycles will help provide areas that are not easily accessible by an ambu lance vehicle with faster response times, such as special event venues," said King. Ambulances will respond to calls attended by the Bike Medics as required, and individuals requiring hospital treat ment will be transported via ambulance, added King. Money raised by the raffle, initially intended to raise funds for the bicycles, will now be used to cover the cost of a trailer to transport the bikes, and to outfit the bikes with additional accessories. The trailer was purchased at cost from Trailers by Jim Bray, another Oakville business. A number of businesses have already donated prizes for the raffle. The raffle will be held on June 29.To donate to the raffle, call the Halton Region Health Department, Ambulance Services Division at 905-825-6060 Ext. 7111. A new lease on life? M -C L A S S . When fourteen mid-size SUVs were crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, ours was named "Best Pick." When it comes to safety, we've always done whatever it takes to put the odds in your favour. That includes this special lease on the Mercedes of 4X4's, on fo r a lim ited time. Mercedes-Benz The F uture of the Automobile Limited Time Offer! Choose An Option... * 4 .9 % 24 month lease rate Or *No Charge Scheduled Maintenance ·4yrs or so.oookms Or ` Mercedes-Benz Signature Class Extended Limited Warranty total of 7yrs or 160,000kms (Psst! First 20 customers who choose m aintenance or w arranty options receive no charge 6 disc CD player) Meray Motors & Collision Ltd. Q.E.W & Dorval Drive, Oakville 905 · 845-6623 www.meraymotors.mercedesbenz.ca 'Some restrictions apply, contact Meray Motors for details. Viral meningitis still making rounds B y A n g e la B la c k b w n . OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF An outbreak o f viral meningitis -- not to be con fused with the deadly meningococcal m eningitis -- is still making the rounds in north Oakville. Local health officials remain on the alert as the number of confirmed cases of the illness has climbed from 15 to 37 over the last 10 days. The virus has also apparently spread from north O akville to east Burlington. The Burlington cases include both elemen tary and secondary stu dents, while the illness seems to be confined to high school students in north Oakville. "The good news is that it's viral meningitis, not the bacterial type," said Mary Anne Carson, the manager o f com m unicable disease and infection control for H alton's Health Department. Major symptoms include a severe headache, stiff neck, drowsiness or confu sion, nausea, vomiting and light sensitivity. While these are similar symptoms to the often fatal bacterial meningitis, this ill ness is not life-threatening. "G enerally speaking people who have become ill have recovered within two or three days of receiving treatm ent from a physi cian," said Carson. There is no specific treatment for the viral infec tion, but doctors can pre scribe medication to reduce the sym ptom s o f severe headache and nausea. Halton usually averages about eight cases of this ill ness annually. However, earlier this month 15 cases were con firmed in just one week and health officials put out an alert to the public -- and local schools -- a week ago. Last week, that total climbed to 32 cases. "It's still prim arily in north Oakville and in high school students," said Carson. However, at least three of the infected persons were elementary students. Halton's health depart ment sent a letter and infor mation sheet home to par ents, through both elemen tary and secondary schools. Early in the outbreak. Dr. Bob Nosal, H alton's Medical Officer of Health, said he was convinced there are "scores of others who are also infected, who are not sick, but who could pass it on to others." Incubation takes place within 3-5 days of infection and recovery is usually within 7-10 days, even without medical treatment. Still, anyone experienc ing symptoms is urged to check in with their family doctor. Lab testing has con firmed the virus is of the enterovirus type. Nosal said that means that "scrupulous attention to hygiene" is the most important preventive factor. "Hand-washing is very important and it's a very simple thing to do," he said. The enterovirus can infect a person by respirato ry-hand contact (coughing and then shaking hands) or fecal-oral contact (not washing hands after going to the washroom or chang ing a diaper). Over the past five years, there have never been more than 8 to 12 cases reported annually. To find out more about viral m eningitis visit: www.region.halton.on.ca/h ealth; w w w .cps.ca; w w w .hc-sc.gc.ca; and, www.cdc.gov; or, call the Halton Region Health departm ent at 905-8256060, ext. 7855. Ginger Jar - Pink Reg. $43 Sale s 22 Lamp Table, Distressed Top Metal Base Reg. $839 ENNISCLARE INTERIORS Print, Miniature Hunt Reg. $59 Floral Arrangements From s 39 End Table, Glass Inset Metal Accents, Carved Accents Reg.$907 Sale *377 Matching Square Cocktail Lift Top for Storage Reg. $1049 Sale $ 35 Vertical Mirror, Painted Reg. $829 Botanical Prints Reg. $145 each Sale *449 Matching Square Cocktail Table Reg. $1007 Sale $ 87 e a c h Night Standr Natural Finish Reg. $879 Sale *472 Bergere Chair Antique White Finish Reg. $1337 Sale *499 Occasional Chair Tone on Tone Reg. $1129 Sale Sale *498 Round Cocktail Ottoman Reg. $1317 Sale *619 Back Wing Chair Reg. $1899 Sale *725 Chair - Mushroom Chenille Reg. $1709 Sale $ 899 Club Chair - Brick & Sage Reg. $1859 Sale *854 Recliner - Blue Seersucker Reg. $1909 Sale *899 Recliner - Sand Chenille Reg. $2059 Sale $ 899 Console, Wood & Glass Top Bronze Finish Reg. $2547 Sale $ 999 Dinette Set, Round Table, 3 Chairs Reg. $1656 Sale s 999 Sofa - Raspberry Reg. $2419 Sale *999 Sofa Tufted - Wheat Reg. $2727 Sale $ 1089 Carved Occasional Chair Reg. $3019 Sale *1197 Sofa & Chair, Checked Reg. $3104 Sale *1199 Carved Wing Chair Taupe Crackle Finish Reg. $2573 each Sale *1199 Tub Chair, Tufted Cut Green Chenille Reg. $3647 Sale *1159 e a c h Dresser, Wing Mirror, Night Stand Reg. $6981 Sale *1459 Sofa & Loveseat Plaid Chenille Reg. $5918 Sale *2889 Rectangle Cocktail Table Marble Top Reg. $7099 Sale $ 2899 Sale s 3899 Hepplewhite sideboard Reg. $8049 Closed July 1 & 2,2001 ENNISCLARE INTERIORS 1 0 7 5N O R T H S E R V IC tR D .W E S T ,O A K V tiE . T e l:(9 0 5 )8 2 5 -2 4 5 0 w w w .e n n is c la re in te rio rs .c o m STORE HOURS: Mon., Tues., Wed. & Sat.10:00 am to 5:30 pm Thurs. & Fri.10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Closed Sundays July & August_______ Queen Canopy Bed Antique Nickel Finish Reg. $8137 Sale s 3299 Claridge Curio Reg.$7689 Sale *5199 Rectangle Dining Table 2 Arm Chairs, 4 Side Chairs Reg. $17383 Sale s 4199 Carved Armoire Silver & Gilt Crackle Reg. $21289 Sale *11299 Sale *6379