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by Lorraine Manfredo Snow and heavy traffic... They're two evils Rotary exchange exchange student Emily Howard never had to deal with back home in Gawler, Australia. Before her arrival in Canada this past January, the 18-year-old Aussie had never felt weather much nippier than 12 degrees Celsius. And, while she intends to improve improve her snowball-throwing this Australian exchange student Emily Howard (front) definitely has been enjoying the extra-curricular dancing activities at Bowmanville High School this past year. The 17-year-old has graduated from high school back home and has been enrolled in classes here as part of a Rotary Club student exchange program. Emily is pictured above with Grace Freethy, Adele MacKenzie and Melissa Harty before their "Big Spender" number in a dance recital last month at BHS. Enthusiastic Goodyear Employee Honored with '93 Award for Spirit winter, she may never get over the volume of traffic that moves along Hwy. 401 every day. Emily came to Canada through the Rotary Club exchange student program. She's been billeted with different families in town and is attending attending courses at Bowmanville High School. In her informal role as ambassador ambassador for Australia, Emily visits schools and clubs to talk about her country down under, its people and natural wonders. "Emily came to Canada through the Rotary Club exchange program. " Apparendy there are as many contrasts as similarities between her home town and Bowmanville. Gawler, South Australia, is almost almost a twin of Bowmanville in some aspects. It has a population of about 15,000, two rivers run through it, and there are plenty of trees. Residents Residents cherish the old buildings which date back to the mid 1800's. In the past 20 years, the town has become increasingly residential. And, just like Bowmanville, Gawler lies within commuting distance distance of a neighboring capital city. Yet Emily insists: "Gawler is not a suburb. It's a town." The big difference between Gawler and Bowmanville is that virtually virtually everyone gets to Adelaide by train. Commuter trains leave Gawler every half hour. All over. South Australia, rail routes from oudying towns lead into the bustling city of one million persons. The cost is less than $5 return, .Emily says. "When I got here I couldn't believe believe the cost of the GO trains," she said. "Mind you, our trains are not as plush as the GO trains; they're not double-deckers. But they're nice and they have carpeted seats." She figures Ontario may find it hard to finance improvements to its public transit system since- sebr- 1 **'* money must go into maintaining the heavily-used highways. Another big difference she finds between the towns is that Gawler has more parks. And the trees stay green all year round. Her description of small-town Australia is very different from what some of her schoolmates at BHS first imagined, she said. "Some of the students, especially the younger ones, thought that Australia Australia was one big desert and that we all had kangaroos hopping around in our back yard and we all had pet koalas." ; She is mildly dismayed that the most famous Australian Canadians can think of is Crocodile Dundee, a movie character not at all typical of your average Australian, Emily says. However, she was slightly stumped herself when asked which Australian better deserved the world's attention. The name of a nationally-known nationally-known Australian singer escaped escaped her, but she mentioned the explorer explorer Captain Hook "Getting into university is tough and getting tougher." Before coming to Canada, the only Canadian she knew by name was Bryan Adams. American culture is daily fare back home, she says. The most popular popular TV shows are top-rated US sitcoms. sitcoms. . For a while, Emily thought about pursuing a career in dance. Anyone who saw her spectacular solo and duet performance last month with the BHS dance recital Reflections would bet on her making making it big. She's been singing and dancing since age 10, but feels she started too late. So, she's settled on a more practical practical line of study. "I'd like to get into advertising. It's professional, but it's still artistic." artistic." Eqtily is used to bringing home a i'T" " " lot more homework than her Ontario peers. "Back home, students will do homework from four o'clock after school sometimes until one or two in the morning. And when it gets close to exams, we work later." Getting into university is tough and getting tougher, she says, Medical schools expect a 98% average. To get into economics courses, a student needs more than 80%. It's not uncommon for kids to re peat grade 12 to boost their average. Either that, or they wait until age 21 and enter as mature students. What she misses most about home, besides her family and friends, are those dry, hot days that can reach as high as 48 degrees in the shade. She's holding up okay in the cold, though. "I'm getting used to it When I first got here, I had to wear seven or eight layers of clothing. Now, I can get away with six." Bravery Awards Presented To Heroic Manvers Firemen On Wednesday, November 17, Ontario Medals for Firefighter Bravery were presented to two Manvers Township firefighters, one of whom, Russell Snudden, is a former Bowmanville area resident. Left to right in the photo above are: firefighters Jason Srigley and Russell Snudden. Lt. Gov. Henry N. R. Jackman is making the presentation. presentation. See story on page eight. nn More Than 60,000 Plants Raised from California Cuttings Goodyear Bowmanville Plant employee, John Pearson, received the 10th Annual Spirit Award from Plant Manager Wally Hicks on Friday morning, Nov. 26. Pearson has shown his team spirit and community spirit since 1974 when he joined Goodyear. The winner of this year's Goodyear Goodyear Spirit Award in the Bowmanville Plant is John Pearson. The Spirit Award is presented to a person who has given 100 per cent at work and within the community as well, Pearson has always been supportive supportive of various extra-curricular activities activities like the Goodyear Recreation Club and the Annual Plant Picnic. He is also a sports enthusiast and has played many sports, including hockey, golf and bowling. Within the Goodyear Golf League, he has served in the capacity of President, President, Vice-President and held other executive positions for a total of 12 years. He has also been involved in the organization of the Annual Inter-Plant Tournaments and continues to be an active league player. As a member of the Goodyear Bowling League, he has also served on the executive of the League for a period of six years. . Pearson's interest in howling has extended to the point of assisting .with the Youth Bowling Program and he is presently enrolled in the "Master Teacher Bowler" Program. His oldest son is also involved in the sport of bowling and Pearson gains much pleasure helping Jeffery (15) and other other youngsters leant the skills of the game. His youngest son, Nicholas, is just beginning to receive lessons. While many people leave hockey playing to their youdi, Pearson, has not yet laid down his hockey stick. He is the Coach and a player on the Bow- manville Non-Contact Hockey League. This league is for people 35 years of age and over. John Pearson is a Director of the Goodyear Credit Union and has served in this capacity for the past two years. Last year, he was selected and appointed appointed as the S.U.B. and U.I.C. Local 189 Representative. He is an associate member of Branch 178 of the Royal Canadian Legion Legion in Bowmanville, and assists with much of the Legion's community work. He also assists each year with the Santa Claus Parade. Pearson was chosen as this year's Spirit Award winner based on his teamwork both inside and outside the Bowmanville Goodyear plant. At Rekker greenhouses in Maple Grove, Christmas starts in April. That's the date when poinsettia cuttings arrive from California and the process of raising 60,000 to 70,000 seedlings begins. At an open house on Saturday, November 27, visitors to the Rekker Garden Gallery had an opportunity to see this year's newest varieties of poinsettias and also go behind-the- scenes for a tour of the greenhouses in which the poinsettias are grown. John Rekker explained to one of the groups touring the greenhouses that once the new cuttings arrive, they arc planted in containers and grown into full-sized plants from which the 60,000 to 70,000 cuttings can be taken in July. Slips measuring 2.5 to three inches inches arc. removed at that time and placed in a type of foam material where the roots develop over the next 10 days to two and one-half weeks. These arc placed under misting misting lines and may also be shaded from the sun. About four months arc required to grow a mature plant. The secret to setting buds which ensure a display of brilliant crimson bracts around Christmas time is twofold, twofold, Mr. Rekker explains. For three weeks, the plant must have 12 to 14 hours of darkness. (Even a nearby streetlight can affect the flower production) production) And, in addition, the temperature temperature must be 62 to 67 degrees. Fortunately for local growers, the 12 hours of daylight and darkness corresponds to the September 21st equinox. And that's about the time when the growers arc ready to start the pre-Christmas flowering process. process. If more darkness is needed, a black shade cloth will be used inside the greenhouse. Mr. Rekker notes that red is by far the favorite color of poinsettias. However, there arc about a dozen different varieties of red poinsettias alone. They also come in shades such as white, junk, and a variety of hues incorporating white flecks on a red or pink color, Poinsettias frequently take the form of bushy plants growing close to the ground. But, they can also grow on the end of a mil sutlk, creating creating a trcc-likc appearance. The end result depends on how the individual individual plant is pruned. If the side shoots arc removed, the poinsettia will look like a small tree. If the top is trimmed, it will grow as a bush. The flower of the poinsettia is ac tually the central yellow object in the middle of the red leaves. Buyers looking for a fresh plant should make sure the flower is still intact. At a temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit, Fahrenheit, the flowers should remain for two or three weeks. The Rekker greenhouses produce poinsettias for sale to a number of garden centres and indoor displays. Locally-grown plants are sold in Toronto and area and also are marketed marketed as far east as Ottawa and Montreal and as far north as Huntsville. Huntsville. In all, upwards of 50,000 mature mature plants are produced at the local greenhouse. Saturday, November 27, marked the seventh annual poinsettia open house held at Rekker's. Anyone wishing to re-flower their Christmas poinsettia next year should follow these directions. In February, as the color fades, the plant should be kept near a sunny sunny window and fertilized when new growth appears. Stems should be cut back to approximately eight inches. In June, the plant can be repotted repotted and moved outside if temperatures temperatures remain above 50 degrees. The poinsettia should be placed in light shade. In late August, the plant should be taken inside and the stems should be cut back to allow three or four leaves per shoot. The plant should be kept on a sunny window, and given water and fertilizer as needed. From September 20 to Dec. 1st, the poinsettia should be kept in light only from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It should be placed in total darkness (in a closet, for example) the remainder of the time. The key to encouraging new flowers by Christmas is to ensure that the plant gets the proper amount of light and darkness. Cindy Kindree (right) and Pat Rekker arc shown amidst just a lew of the thousands of poinsettias at Rekker Garden Gallery, Rekker's held their annual Poinsettia Open House on Saturday, November 27. Shown in the background of tills photo are some poinsettias which grow in a small, tree-like shape. There are dozens of varieties of this favorite Christmas plant, although red is the most popular color. We Asked and You Said Page from the Past Around the Town