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The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e sd a y N o v e m b e r 7, 2001 - B1 D O IT B E K H IE tT N d W Sr' I 'S S N O W rrn Single stage s69, Dual stage s99 P ick up & D e liv e ry A v a ila b le S I CURRENT POWER MACHINERY INC, 1661 Lakeshore Rd. W. Mississauga (5 S t o p l ig h t s e a s t o f 2 0 7 7 S o u t h d o w n R o o d i n C la r k s o n ) < r > « * * · * * I I OFFICIAL MEDIA SPO N SO R O F TH E OAKVILLE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL Oakville Beaver Focus Editor: WILMA BLOKHUIS 845-3824 Ext: 250; Fax: 337-5567; Email: blokhuis@hattonsearch.com Focus would have been like - it's been so rewarding," says Kevin. But it almost wasn't so. Kevin uneasily relates that life with Kyle is a joyful gift that could have been surrendered at birth. "The attending physician told us to send Kyle away to an insti tution before even leaving the hospital. That type of thinking was still fairly common in those days." Today, Kyle is enrolled in a Life Skills Program at W. H. Morden Public School where he is learning many of the basic necessities too often taken for granted in our hectic society: how to take the bus, go to the store, and count change. He is also enrolled in a music therapy program and has become an enthusiastic participant in the Special Olympics and a basket ball team sponsored by Oakville Parks and Recreation. The music program is an invaluable tool for developing language and listening skills; the sports provide an important out let for his boundless energy. "Kyle is a runner," explains Diane. "He's always taking off and he doesn't look back, but he's gradually learning to recog nize the limits." His home life has been enhanced with the addition of two younger sisters, nine-yearold Lauren, and Mackenzie, four, who variously adore, tease, and mentor their big brother. "They love, play and fight together like typical siblings," observes Diane. `T he girls like to mother him and make up games for him," she continues, "but he's bigger, stronger and taller, so he can do things for them that they can't do." Though Kyle has adjusted well to his new program at W. H. Morden, he still misses his old pals from Pilgrim Wood Public School, where he was a student from Kindergarten until last year. "Kyle is very social so he has made friends from both schools, O a k v ille / H I W a te r fr o n t ^ * F e * ttv c U / % It ' s Fall on Sa le ! We are your one stop shop for all the hottest fall fashions. A large selection of up-scale items are being marked down daily. Look for our spectacular holiday line arriving mid November! B y C o n s ig n m e n t l l 5 Trafalgar Rd. Upscale Resale Ladies Wear OPEN 7 D AYS A WEEK N .o fL a te s h o rc )338-3474 Abundance of love andjoy Down Syndrome son a special gift By M ary Collett SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER akville residents Kevin and Diane Whyte are the first to admit their son Kyle is anything J K B B publicizing Down Syndrome Awareness Week (Nov. 1 to 7), the Whytes have elected to step forward and share their personal experiences with this most com mon chromosomal abnormality found in one of every 900 live births. Though theirs is a bittersweet story containing a certain amount of disappointment, worry, heartache and daunting challenges, ultimately, it is one of triumph over adversity, incomparable enrichment and blessings bestowed upon the parents of a very special child. "If we hadn't had Kyle in our lives, we don't know what life but average. Bom 12 years ago in Montreal and almost immediate ly diagnosed with Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder that occurs at conception, Kyle has brought their family an extraordinary abundance of love and joy, previously unknown and unimaginable. In an effort to do their part in Photo by Chantal Ayotte Kyle Whyte, 12, poses with his mom Diane, dad Kevin, and their dog Hercules. the neighbourhood, and his spe cial programs," says Diane. "Some of his friends, like Lucas Santos, don't have challenges, they just like to be with him." And she laughingly concedes, "now we're known as members of Kyle's family, not the other way around." School and community inte gration is an essential compo nent for the development of spe cial needs children in order to prepare them to function as independent adults, a common goal shared by all parents rear ing their young. "This is a diverse world," explains Kevin, "and children are not always exposed to the varieties of life. It benefits everybody to understand that there are differences." The Whytes feel fortunate that Halton Region, and Oakville in particular, have always been leaders in promot ing and demonstrating this atti tude. "When Kevin was transferred from Montreal, we were told to look in Halton for a home, because it was considered to be number one for integration," Diane says. "The support and inclusion we found here were just fantastic." One of the support programs already in place upon their arrival, was the Halton Down Syndrome Association. `T o find this association here was a godsend," Kevin recalls. "It was very, very helpful to be met by a group of parents who took us into their hearts." With the exception of one year, Kevin has served as presi dent of the association's board for the past five years. It is a volunteer non-profit organiza tion working to improve the quality of life for people with Down Syndrome. The Halton branch currently consists of about 75 families, predominant ly from Oakville and Burlington. Their goal is tQ. ensure that peo ple with Down Syndrome are provided support, integrated and accepted into the community. Meetings are held monthly or bi monthly and often include guest speakers, highlighted with cer tain seasonal events such as a Christmas party and a summer picnic. Kevin proudly extols their motto: "A person with Down Syndrome is a person first and a person with Down Syndrome second." Recent medical advances in genetic testing and pre-natal screening for chromosomal abnormalities have introduced a new set of challenges on whether to continue with a preg nancy when Down Syndrome has been detected at the early stages. The Halton Down Syndrome Association can offer counseling assistance on these sensitive issues. For more information contact Kevin or Diane Whyte at 905825-8632; the Canadian Down Syndrome Society at 1-800-8835608; or visit its web site at www.cdss.ca. Photo by Chantal Ayotte Kyle Whyte, 12, poses with his friend Lucas Santos, also 12. The Body Shaping Fitness Studio ForWomen. V i11 f a il C J fjle a s u r e A / c A T E R I N G · C o rp o ra te / S o c z^ / C a te r in g D irk Gebhardt M aria Kiniough · Special £ ve n t an d P a rty P/azmizuf · Them e P a rtie s · /n & m ate C faxners to CavisA C^aCbenzufs · C a te r in g to (g ro u p s o f < 5 to £ > 0 0 C & 2Z n o w to b o o J k y o u r ffo Z z d & y P a r& G S Dear Member, We will be celebrating our 1st anniversary on Friday November 9th, 2001. We are grateful for your continuing support and would like to treat all o f our clients to a customer appreciation day Complimentary shakes, water, fruit and vegetable platters will be served all day Sinful Pleasures Catering (905) 257-0448 B est Adult D an ce In stru ctio n 1999 & 2000 Call the dance professionals at Fred Astaire Dance Studios and you'll be dancing and twirling, too! Ballroom dancing is fun - and great exercise. What are you waiting for? Also, everyone who is a member as o f November 9th will have her name entered into a draw every hour on the hour, from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm, with a chance to win either a massage therapy or personal training session. You don't have to be present to win. Thank you for a wonderful year and we hope that you will join us. Yours in good health, cTJia/iA^you fo r nominating usfo r a 3rd year in a row! Readers Appreciation Special 10 hours of dance for $20* Find out for yourself why Oakville loves F red Astaire O ffe r ende N ovem ber 17/01 D A N C E S TU D IO S ® w § 225 Lakeshore Road East, 2nd Floor D ow ntow n Oakville 1 block west of Trafalgar Rd. (Entrance from both Lakeshore Road and parking lot off Church Street) For more information please call (905) 849-1919 . . . (905) 842-3797 www.f redasta ire. com U I · N e w a d u lt s tu d e n ts o n ly w T i J : 183 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville, Ontario L6K. 1E7 (just East o f Dorval) w w w .b o d y s h a p in g stu d io .c o m