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in inc vanauian aiaiesman, bowmanville, Wednesday, September 14,1994 Durham Group Advocates Open Adoption Records Paintings at Town Hall Show High-Precision Realism by Lorraine Manfredo . A Durham self-help group called Parent Finders is hoping the province province will deliver on ils promise to support open adoption records. Agency spokesperson Jan Sullivan Sullivan is optimistic legislation allowing allowing adoptees access to their original surnames will become law as early as this fall; that is, if the New Democrats don't call an election before before then, she says. Such a law would be an immense help in tracing the birth parents of adoptees. "Sealed birth records are at the root of the problem," explains Ms Sullivan. Ontario law currently only permits adoptees to know the first initial of their last name. The new legislation will unseal last names, as is the practice in several several commonwealth countries. On its second reading this spring, the bill passed by a vote of 49-3. The third reading is scheduled for October. "If it passes, we will gain a few points," says Sullivan. "Everybody will be entitled to know what their name was before they were adopted." adopted." Parent Finders says the province's province's registry system of matching adoptees with birth parents is inadequate. inadequate. Ontario's Provincial Disclosure Registry presently has 9,000 people people on üie waiting list. This backlog is made more daunting by the mandatory mandatory counselling required before reunion. Parent Finders objects to this compulsory counselling, calling it costly, intrusive and a source of unfair delay. "I find it insulting to impose this mandatory counselling on mature adults. For anyone over 40 to have to go through a counselling process before meeting their birth parent is highly insulting. No one appreciates this government service." At this rate, the current case load will take ten years to clear, Sullivan charges, and all the while more names are being added to the list. Another contentious issue for Parent Finders is the right of adoptees adoptees to know medical histories of their biological parents. Opponents say this would go against a birth parent's right to privacy. Highlights from Bowmanville Toastmasters "The strength of effort equals the power of results." This is tme of anything anything in life - you get of it what you put into it. This principle was expounded expounded upon by the Chairman of the evening on September 6, Toastmaster Toastmaster (TM) Nancy Bamcs. The Table Topics session was a lively one, led by TM George Glas- bergen. He started us off with "There was an incredible bolt of lightning..." lightning..." and the story took off from there, with each Toastmaster picking up where the previous one had left off. The bolt of lightning turned the first speaker into a stone statue, and the rest of the story included a preaching raven, a "sailor" with his spaceship docked at the Bowmanville. Marina, and the best part, Molson Golden falling from the sky! TM Joe' Chrisil expounded on time and its measurement, and how everything wc do revolves around time. He then went on to introduce the two speakers for the prepared speech portion of.the meeting. TM Iscrt-Kohck demonstrated the intricacies of spot removal with her presentation "Be Gone, Damned Spot." TM Shcr Lcctoozc gave an impromptu speech entitled "The Virtues Virtues of Education", telling us that education education is a life-long project and docs not end when wc graduate from school. TM Iserl-Kohck was voted Best Speaker by the members of the club. TM Brenda Russell gave an excellent excellent general evaluation of the meeting, meeting, and awarded the Best Evaluator Award to TM Connie Nelson. September is the time when Toastmasters Toastmasters collects its semi-annual dues. For $52 twice a year you get: - a 6 month subscription to The Toastmaster, a monthly magazine published by Toastmasters International; International; - the opportunity to improve your communication and leadership skills once a week; - training in a friendly, supportive atmosphere; - the chance to be entertained and educated; - free coffee at every meeting! What more could you ask for! For an additional $18 when your first join to cover the cost of your training manuals, this is the most cost- effective training program around! The fees are tax deductible, and many companies will pay for their employees to join, We're back to meeting on a weekly weekly basis, We get together every Tuesday Tuesday night from 7:30 - 9:30 at St, John's Anglican Church in Bowman- ville, on the corner of Queen and Temperance, Visitors are. always welcome. welcome. Come and check us out - there's no cost to guests and no obligation to join, For more inlb call (905) 432- 1373 or (905) 983-9423. Stephanie Iscrt-Kohck, Parent Finders was formed in 1976 and was based in Toronto, It maintains its own computerized national national cross-registry system for adoptees and families. Regular meetings began in Durham Durham this spring. All members of the "birth triangle" (adoptees, birth parents, parents, and adoptive parents) are welcome welcome to join. Members find plenty of moral support and guidance in conducting searches. The group meets every second Tuesday of every month at Albert St. United Church in Oshawa. Volunteers advise searchers how to trace their backgrounds. Sometimes all a person has to go on, besides a birth date, is some sketchy information about their biological biological parent's occupation or educational educational background, Sullivan says. That's why Parent Finders is actively actively seeking old telephone books, old school yearbooks, lists of union memberships and old city directories. directories. "Any of these can be the start of a little trail." Sullivan, herself, hopes one day to be reunited with her biological granddaughter, Tammy Louise, who was given up in 1973. . Sullivan is well aware that there are plenty of birth parents who don't want to be found. "I can only explain to them the anguish a person feels when they look in the mirror and realize they really don't look like anyone in their family. I explain to them the frustration frustration of not knowing why they were given up for adoption." Contacts are done discreetly through Parent Finders, Sullivan says. Volunteers do not aid in any search where one of the parties is under the age of 18. Reunion can be rewarding for all involved, say the volunteers at Parent Parent Finders. It can mean new relationships relationships with not only a birth parent parent but with sisters, brothers and cousins as well. Parent Finders meet at Albert St. United Church in Oshawa. For information, information, call Sandy at 404-9151, or Jan at 686-7840. r<> X W > # \ % fy H V v' \ V -k 1 # | % X \\ 'X 1 V\ 111 1 I \, ! S ' if Allan Beckley's paintings are accurately-detailed personal interpretations of ordinary people in everyday everyday life. His high-realism precision makes the current collection on display this month at the Town Hall quite a study in artistic craftsmanship. Beckley, originally of Toronto, now has a studio in Mactier, Ontario. His 25-year career included working as artistic director for Canada's largest special events firm. Attention Candidates! GRANBY ffS dSSï " ■ ""fiSK | iPhj Ssa f i W'H-.l Ki EJ SFUl ijfSiilF P' ■' v. :i . J r 9 < i) :i\ rill ii j liü ülüsÉüil ëS m ,-I T,-,; mk W: J i J m Our two locally-produced newspapers provide you with a total circulation in excess of 25,500, completely saturating our community in newspapers that contain only local news. If however, you want flyers produed and inserted, we can target your message to specific areas in Clarington. Call the pros at f ■ y w. 1/ . ÎE I I f F I j "5^ ■ / â f'i y\ v ■7 hh V ; ]> \ y \ \ v/ 1/ e¥ ™ A <S ' V V V & y x /„ / X > \ V y /i 4 imX XWMM0MM i ! x/X#v , L ;h"' (K T 1 " r ' 9 V VV V ê k.y ■/ -, y , ) if ) ip i.) ■?} , ij /fiT) A) 62 King St. W. 623-3303 Serving Clarington Since 1854 Bowmanville