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A Study in Courage Rotary 's Easter Seals Helped Debbie, Become a Useful ond Happ Member f Siet With a legacy left by her grandmother she had her car converted to manual controls. With power steering it's very easy to drive. "After a while you find yourself driving with one thumb," she smiles. Like most young people, Debbie is still paying off her car. by Jean Ahlvik Once a' "Miss Timmy" for which had frightened her she took over many of the Talent, perseverence and the Rotary Club's Easter Seal enormously as a freshman. "I household chores for her good will are all ingredients in campaign, Debbie stili cher- was nervous about high school mother who was workîng. She the rather remarkable story of ishes her association with the anyway and then they gave can do floors and beds, Deborah Bothwell. club. Her way of expressing me a locker on the second vacuum and make meals. Debbie, who lives in Court- hergratitude is by living as floor .." It wasn't long Debbie's problem was ding- ice was born with a congenital successfully and as fully as though, before she had con- nosed as cerebral palsy or spine defect and consequently she can. quered this fear and cheerful- spinabifidia when she was has always been paralyzed Debbie is also very fortun ly allowed herseif to be lifted very young. The Bothwells from the waist down. To-day ate in the wonderful love, up and down the stairsby her made several trips to London she has a full-time job in support and plain good sense fellow students. Ontario's Victoria Hospital to Oshawa, drives there daily, er parents and young brother Graduation'brought its own try to get some clarification on manoeuvring her yellow Jim have brought to bear on set of difficulties. Although theproblem. The doctors tried Dodge Dart Swinger by hand the situation. A vîsîtor to the she toye with the idea of a variety of braces to help controls. She waits eagerly for Bothwell home can't miss the continuing her education, Debbie walk on her own. One snow so she can go on long warm, affectionate atmos- there seemed to be too many bracethattheyworkedwithat ý,mowmobiling jaunts through phere which must provide problems. The answer which the Rumsey Road Rehabili- îe woods. She also keeps up Debbie with the securîty and most appealed to her was tation Centre in Toronto was an active social life and fits in reassurance she needs for the getting a job nearby and eventually named for Debbie - a complete commitment to struggles of her difficuit life, continuing to live at'home. the Bothwell Brace. She does her religioîn. She attendts a fulfflled, seif-reli- is a -nnt en v pleased with church or church sponsored ant person because she has often deflatîng, experience but her namse though; she activities four times each been lucky enough to find a it i staggering to think how cringed slightly as she des- week. religion whîch satisfies her, complicated it must be for a cribed it as a brace with From this brief description and she has been blessed with person in a wheelchair. On top leggings withlittie army boots of her full life, it is obvious parents who have neyer cod- of all the ordinary problems attached. The canvas belt was that Debbie Bothwell has dled her, but always challen- the physical lay-out of the job attached to a hard plastic, ta'ent and perseverence in ged her to try new things. site must be considered. How back. The idea was to lean on a eidance. But the goodwill They all laugh as they high are the curbs? Are there crutches and swing both legs o tle whole community, most recount the story of Debbie's stairs? How wide are the at once. The brace had locks especially the Rotarians, is learning t drive. Apparently doors? Are there ramps? at the knees and hips to another factor in her success many tears of frustration Again her family helped her facilîtate this movement. story. Her first two wheel were shed but Debbie did tremendously, scouting out At 10, Debbie underwent the chairs were bought by the emerge a licensed driver. As possible locations. About four 41/ hour Herrîngton op- Rotarians. Mr. John Bothwell, John Bothwell points out, this months after she graduated eration designed to correct who drives a truck for Ready was a very significant accom- Deb was hired by William curvature of the spine. She Mix explains that they would plishment for Debbie. Most Leask of Pineridge Cable T.V. was cut from the neck to the not have been able to have of us take our mobility for She has been there for a year hips and pieces of caîf bone wheel chairs or braces for granted. the licence gave and a haîf, answering the were fused with each of her Debbie without the support of Debbie hers. telephone, filing, helping with vertebrae. The spine was then the Bowmanville Rotary Club As an honor Business and the posting and doing some supported by a stainless steel "They have spent thousands Commerce graduate of Cour- typing. rod wrapped in plastic. This and thousands of dollars on tice Secondary School, Debbie Debbie is neyer idie, In the operation was very successful Debbie." now talks fondly of aplace four months she was at home, and Debbie began to grow quite rapidly afterwards. This was unexpected and forced the doctors ft rethink their original diagnosis. How- -U ever, whatever they chose to mcapl it, Debbie still had the samhe problem. She again was put in the rehabilitation centre, She hated it. For two yers, on and off, she lived at the centre working on therapy exercises for her torso, < shoulders and arms, sfrug- gaing with braces and learning domestic arts aike cooking and sewing. The onlygood thing about it seems to have been that she learned to swim. one nice summer day when she was about 12, she decided to run away, or, to be smore specific, oh run home. She wbeeled her chair from Rum- sey Roud to Bayview, in Toronto, very cear on heer directionsd but not really comprebending the distance. As she began up Bayview to the 401, she began to have doubts. She worried about al the people who were around. e"Wrat if someone caught her wsnd made her go back before she made it home?" They were alwys being threatened that if they didn't co-operate they would be denied the proviege of going home on the weekend. FinSley good sense trumphed over valor and the young girl went back to the clnic vonuntarily. If wasn't long affer this that she came home permanently. She f elsnow that she would oot be ns depressed by living wrh handictpped people. She explains that she bas gof beyond externial conditions. upIt's wht's on the inside that counts." Because of her faith in God she feels that now she could give something in a home for handicpped peope. there seemed to bel too rnanyan p shem and think of ersef l ast. Since Debbie was 17 she 4 bas felf completely commitfed p Christ and to acting out hwer beliefs in ter ife. "I know Jesus is for real. I'm ontht rond fe stay." In takng about bser success- Debbie Bothwell prefers the manual wheel chair to the motorized type es, Debbie is quick to point because it is lighter and more mobile. Here, she demonstrates how she can get ouf that her religion is into her car herseAf, fold up her wheel chair, and pull it in behind her. The responsible for much of ber jor and spunk. "sI n't take whole operation takes about 40 seconds at most. ahi the credi myself. Christ has helped me a lot. He says there's much to life, just go out and grab it." Debbie has many hopes and dreams for her future. The challenge of getting a univer- sity education appeals to her. She is interested in the English-Journalism field and may even like to study theology. But for the moment, Debbie Bothwell is a very happy young lady intensely alive and involved. If she isn't off on a theatre outing to Toronto, she might be helping a friend with wedding preparations or snowmobiling with her brother Jim in the Ganaraska Forest. She is happy and very grateful for this happiness. Her familiar childhood mem- ories are not of hospitals, doctors and pain but things like the Rotary Club annual Christmas party for the kids and the kindness of people like Mrs. Beatrice Campbell. Debbie sums it all up this way: "The Rotary Club has fixed up the outside and Christ the inside. There's nothing to hold me back." It's impossible to know Debbie and doubt that. Will Mark 70th Anniversary at Rotary Meeting The Rotary Club of Bow- manville, on February 23rd, will join more than 16,100 Rotary Clubs in 151 Countries to observe the 70th annivers- ary of the founding of the worldwide service organiza- tion. According to President, Al- fred Allin, the club will mark the occasion with a program under the direction of Stew McTavish and his committee. Today, there are over three quarters of a million business and professional men around the world who wear the Rotary emblem. They are involved in service projects at every level from sponsoring Scout troops to working with handicapped people to build- ing hospitals and schools. The Rotary Foundation, wholly supported by Rotary Clubs and individual Rotar- ians, sponsors an extensive prograi of edtucational a- wards for overseas study by college students, technicians and teachers of the handicap- ped. During 1974, Bowman- ville Rotarians were host to Anneke Van Vuren, a student from South Africa. In 1975, Kevin Robinson will study here for one year. His home is Frndley, Australia. During 1975 he will live three months in each of four Rotary homes. The Rotary Club of Bowman- ville was founded in 1924 and has 50 members. Editor's Mail Dear Editor: Taxpayer vs Day Care Centre I wonder in whose judge- ment is the building on Church St. next to the Canadian Tire Store an ideal location for a Children's Day Care Centre? Surely not the so-called experts of our Social Services in the Region. These people are supposed to be knowledg- able, and educated citizens, at least that's what our tax dollars are payin for. Why then wou the saine knowledgable people pay $130,000. of taxpayers money to purchase the property and spend close to another esti- mated $100,000 on renova- ting the building, a total estimate of $230,000. and still be in an old building which the tax ayer is still going to staff an maintain. To me, it indicates poor judgement and more money than brains. However, this is not new, it doesn't take brains to soend people's money, just be good talker and have lunch with the right people. In some of the more modern communities, Children's Day Care Centres are located on main thoroughfares where it is convenment for working mothers to drop off or pick up children, not located in the middle of town where traffic is congested at the best of times, Has the Town of 1Newcastle b>gen approached by the Reg- ion as to the proposed site of the Day Care Centre? I doubt it, and if they have I can't understand our Council being so gullible as to allow such a manouievre, particu- larly on Church Street, and at the taxpayers expense of $230.000. You had better start think- ing fellows, you too can be replaced, A concerned taxpayer. Section Two The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, February 19, 1975 Snowmobiling is one of her greatest joys! She used to feel slightly sad when she saw young people go off and walk in the woods. Now she can get into the woods herself, at least in winter. Not from his head to be above him Nor from his feet to be below him But from his side to be his equal. There is not doubt that the majority of women who work after marriage and family do so because the man through no fault of his own can no longer carry the financial burden alone. The woman who stàys home bas no financial independ- ance, therefore the extent of ber frivilous feminine perks consist of walking, coffee with a friend and little else. Because any other social activities are usually out of ber financial bracket. Bearing in mind before she partakes of any of these stimulating and fantastic pleasures she bas first done her daily chores and is prepared tof take the children with ber. You give a good example of men and women earning equal pay in the teaching profession, but seem annoyed that in some cases women earn more than men. Why do they? Simply because their effort has been greater to gain better ualifications and if the man oes not want to do the sanme surely woman is not to blame. He has the right. Some women in other occupations do not. If a woman does the same job as a man to the same perform- ance level, she deserves the same pay. You miss the point - equal - not less than would make for n much more interesting part- ner in all aspects of 1ife. We are glad we are women and men are men, but consider ourselves equal - not less than or more than. Joyce Bell Pauline Wilson Cooking is definitely not one of her favorite activities, but wheri absolutely necessary she can rustle up something. Her tastes run more to reading and socializing than to domestic pursuits. -Story and photos by Jean Ahlvik Jr. Formers Choir Wins at Talent Festival Practice and attention pay off for this Durham County Junior Farmers' Association choir. It won the choir competition at the recent Ontario Junior Farmers' Association Talent Festival '75 in Toronto. Shown here leading the choir during its first-place performance is Erie Bowman, R.R. 1, Enniskillen. On E'ebruary 1 the Royal York Hotel was the scene of Feb. 12, 1975 Talent Festival '75 wbicb Dear Editor: included Junior Farmers from Re. Bill Smileys column: Re. ill miles coumn:many counfies in the province. Liberation My Armpit Durham County was, ns We are not in the least sick of liberation and won't be until ususerpes i we can achieve ouraim The soprano-alto-bass choir Equality. led the way by faking firsf We do not have nor do we place ahead of four other need a northern hideout to say superb choirs. Under the what we feel to be true. direction of Mr. Doug Dewelh, Woman was created from who was also the pianist, and man's side conducted by Mr. EriocBow- man, this group proved that many hours of practising pays off. The ladies' trio, consisting of Ruth and Elaine Kellogg and Marie Irwin were second only to the outstanding per- formance of another group of three fine singers from Ont- ario County. One girl displayed the true Junior Farmer spirit and enthusiasm. She was Arlene Allin. After singing in the winning choir and taking second with her own slide presentation on Canada she was selected as one of the six delegates to travel to the United Kingdom from the end of May 'til mid July. I'm sure she will be an excellent representative from our pro- vince. Janice Yellowlees received an honorable mention for her exhibif in the Arts and Crafts display. Others competing in the days events included Nancy Knox and Eric Bowman in the ladies' and mens' vocal solos respectivelyand John Larmer in publie speaking. The day had to be consider- ed a success with more that 2000 people registered for the competitions. The evening ended with a dance, with music by the Crossroads. By the way don't forget the Valentine's Dance at the Blackstock Recreation Cen- tre, being sponsored by the Junior Farmers and the 4-H Members Council. Bo hweI