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FOCUS on Violence Against Women Book sale at 11311, Clarke Museum A rededication ceremony was held at the Visual Arts Centrei Bomanville on Tuesday June 6th. FOCUS, a local women's interest group rededicated the plaque in memiory of the fourteen victims of the Montreal Massacre at the Polytechnique, on December 6, 1989 and all other femnale victims of violence. The plaque had origi- nally been dedicated in September 1993, but disturbingly, it was stolen from the boulder to which it was attached on June 27th, 1994. The rededlication ceremony was opened with a well-articulated and moving speech by Gillian Barfoot. The speech is reproduced in its entirety below. Roses were laid on the bronze plaque by members of FOCUS. Fourteen roses were placed there, one for each of the victims of the Montreal Massacre. The poem that is on the plaque was read aloud by its author, Laura Richards: These fourteen names of women slain/will always be rememberedlKilled they were by a single man/jealous of their hopes and-dreams/As we stand here ful of sorrow/our souls are full of rage and disbelief/Then looking back to remnember dreams of our own-there is so much pain/Sisters we miss you, your promise of lif/we feel thc loss of your spirits on this earth/So, now as we pause, to read your names/to learn from the past, to look to the future/We become a strong force in the eradication of violence towards us al. In addition to the poemn, Ana Luckai performed a song as part of the ceremony. The overaîl message and cir- cumstance of the rededication cor- emony can bo best understood by rcading Gillian Barfoot's own words in the speech she openod the ceremony with: We used to take for granted the sec urity of our homes and commu- nities. -But it's no longer just natu- raI disasters and tragic accidents we have to watch out for, now we have to watch out for each other. Kids arc taught streetproofing, and youîrg girls arectaught self-defense. Alter ail, sorneone you know mnight try to kidnap you, or rape you, or worse. Or a stranger might walk into your classroom with an assault rifle, tell alI tire fomale stu- dents to lino up against the wall, and start shooting. When the> 14 young women at tho Ecole Polytechnique in ,Montreal werc shot on Dec. 6, 1989, people aIl around the world reacted with shock and anger and fear. Who could understand this violent act? But, although we may not bc able to understand this violence, we can name it. And we can name those whom violence bas taken from us. Nathalie, Barbara, Anne- Marie, Barbara Maria, Annie, Sonia, Michele, Maryse, Helene, Genevieve, Maud, Anne-Marie, Helene, Maryse. And Kristen and Leslie. And Georgina, and Joan, and Patricia, and Jackie. And aIl those wbose namnes have been forgotten while their killer's names are remem- bered. On Dec. 6,1992, FOCUS mem- bers held a vigil wo remnember the victims of the Montreal Massacre and all femnale victims of violence. Soon afterward, a local business- man asked if we would like a plaque wo dedicate ho tbem. We held many long discussions to decide what that plaque would say, where it would be and how it would be mounted. Lautra wrote a poem for it, and had to endure a gruelling group editing session. Evylin found a boulder which would bce just night for a quiet spot by Soper Creek, alongsîde the Visual Arts Centre. The town agreed ho let us use thre space and even moved the boulder for us. A local company agreed to instail the plaque without charge., Another local business provided plants for landscaping. Finally, on Sept. 17, 1993, we held a ceremnony to dedicate the plaque. No one who was there would soon forget the words of Suzanne Edward, mother of Anne- Marie, one of the students kiiled in the Montreal Massacre. Her brief portraits of each young woman, gleancd from their close friends and fainilies, reminded aIl of us how important it is to remember the names-and the lives-of those wc have lost. Our second vigil was held at the plaque site on Dcc. 6, 1993. We lit candles, and we remnembered. But imagine our horrified reac- tion on June 27, when we discov- ered that the plaque was suddenly missing! Two thick screws, still attached to the rock, was all that remained of the heavy bronze plaque. Oddly enough, the metal sculpture nearby hadn't been touched. We reported it missing, then we organizcd a scarch party and combcd the crcck and the tal grassy banks with metal detectors and shovels. And when we found nothing, we began to ask ourselves who could have done this? And more to the poffit, why? We were fosced to conclude that this violent act was directed at us and our message on the plaque. What was so offensive about tbis plaque that sorneone-or some ones- would want to destroy it? And because our plaque was victimized, we also foît like vic- tims. Should we replace it? Would it bc vandalized again? How could we protect it? What about a safer location? 1These fecars, like similar fears of women around the world, remind- ed us how our voices can be silenced. We resolved to continue to remember ail femnale victims of violence. We held our 1994 vigil at the site of the bare boulder, remem- bering. The plaque has now been replaced, thanks to the municipali- ty, which also paid to reinstail it. And more plants have been donat- cd. And now we stand where we first dedicated the plaque, nearly two years ago. We remember the women who have died, and those who continue to resist violence. And we also celebrate this com- munity, where s0 many people have expressed their support and helped to mfake this day possible. We will flot forget to mourn. Too many lives have been wasted. And too many women have gone missing. But we must also remember to put our anger and sorrow into action, as we continue to work toward change. COMPLIMENTARY FACIAL Mary Kay bas a skin care prograni desïgned for your skin type. Ail basic skin c are products are non-comnedo- genic and cdinîalix tested for skin irritan y anti- jergy. Most are tragran«,-feC anti safe for sensitive skrn. Cail totiay to receive your complimentary faciai. FAC TO FAUF BEAUTY ADVICE- SaIIy Staples Indopendent Beauty Consultant (905) 983-6430 Clarke Museum and Archives is having its first booksale of the ycar oniJune 17. Paperbacks are on sale for .10 cents, while hardbacks go for a quarter. 1 was at one of thre booksales in the past and walked away with an almost brand new copy of "The World of Disney" a large hardoover picture book that retailed for $35 US for only a quar- ter! The sales really are worth checking out. Ahl money raised by the book- sales go to the restoration of arti- facts at the museum. Over $6000 has been raised over the past 9 years in which the sales have been run. Over 95,000 books have been recycled in this same time period. This year's sales proceeds will be going towards the restoration of a turn of the century McLaughlin cutter made at the Carniage Co. in Oshawa. The cutter is part of the Cathcart Estate donated to the Museum. Attendance so far this year at the museum has been around 3,000 visitors, about the haif way mark of Iast years totals. Since the muse- ums busiest months are in the last hall of the year, this is a great fig- uire. "We should do quite weil," says Mark Jackman, curator of the Museum. "If attendance at the Great Ganaraska Countryside Adventure is good, we could break 10,000 this year, our highest totals ever." The Museum is the Western starting point of the tour. Wicker Thefts Hit Orono A rash of furniture thefts has plagued Orono in recent weeks. At least four different residents have reported funiture stolen from the outside of their homes. Colleen McQuillan of Main St. recently lost a wicker rocker, arm- chair and table to thieves. Ail items were on ber front porch, and were missing when she awoke in the momning. McQuillan said it was "very upsetting ... you try wo do what you can wo make your property and the area look better, and things like tins happen." She did comment on the neatness of thre thieves;, they neatly stacked some magazines from ber table in die corner rather dma throw them all over the porch. As of yet no leads as ho who is doing tuis has reached tuis paper. No one knows the motive behind the thefts, but some have speculat- ed that the furniture might have been stolen for resale. Please keep your eyes open at yard sales, auc- tion sales, or flea markets for large numbers of wicker patio furniture. RmmETIREMENT TEA for ROY FORRESTER Sunday, June 25th 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.' at the ORONO TOWN HALL Main Street, Orono Sponsored by the Orono D. B.ILA. JON STORY j~¶uchcI1SCOTT STORY -SERVICES 905-983-5491 LA ND S C APIN G INSTALLATION - GROUNDS MAINTENANCE -WATER PONDS - PERENNIAL GARDENS - CONSULT ING *-DESIGN - SHOP AROUND, GET YOUR BEST PRUCE THEN CALL US FOR YOUR *,. ER RC I [I etc