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durhamrcnioii.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ April 26,2006 ♦ Page 7 ■ A Clarington Community A weekly in-depth look at the communities that shape Clarington 1 "«P Eighty-five years and still growing Oçono Horticultural Society celebrates • anniversary BY BLAKE WOLFE Special to The Statesman ORONO -- The Orono Horticultural Society celebrated its 85th anniversary on Thursday, with guest speakers, club memorabilia, and of c, ourse, a plant show. "It was a very good turnout," said society president Ann Dilks, adding that there was a great interest shown by attendees in the plant and flower show. "The things we've got blooming already were quite amazing to some." • Speakers at the meeting included local garden centre owners Jon and Scott Storey, speaking about new gardening gardening trends for the coming season and Ontario Horticultural Society District 17 president Kathryn Carnegie, who spoke about the society's work and purpose to "beautify the province" by planning and maintaining community garden and environmental projects, as well as educating the public, throughout Ontario. District 17 encompasses all of Durham Region, including societies in Pickering, Oshawa and Uxbridge. This year also marks the Ontario Horticul- ' tufal Society's 100th anniversary. According to Ms. Dilks, six of the nine past presidents invited to attend, the show made an appearance. In its 85- year existence, the Orono Horticultural Society has had 24 presidents, many of whom were re-elected to the position for several years. ' Much of the memorabilia on display at the show came from Orono resident Lorna Atkins, who has been a member of the society for 40 years. The mementoes mementoes consisted of everything from newspaper newspaper clippings about the society to A.J. Groen / Metroland Durham Region Media Group Together these six people have served as President of the Orono Horticultural Society since 1961. They are from the left, Isabelle Challice, John Caldwell Lorna Atkins, Carol Mostert, Doreen Lowery and Orville Challice. This year the Society celebrates its 85th anniversary. * . ' photographs and plaques received by its members over the years. "The society means a lot to me," she said. "I've made a lot of friends. . Gardeners are very fun arid friendly people." . Over the years, Mrs. Atkins has rep-' resented Orono at conventions for the Ontario Horticultural Society, in addition addition to participating in local society efforts such as spring plant sales and maintaining society-initiated commu nity projects,'such as the re-landscaped Orono Cenotaph. "We paid for it (the re-landscaping) out of fundraising in 1.992," she said. "It takes a lot of Working hands to do ' 'this." Other local projects initiated by the society include the installation of stone' benches in front of the Clarke branch of the Clarington Public Library. "They're really well-used by young moms," Ms. Atkins said; 1 1 the flag a seen as sign of respect Opinion varies on protocols by Legion and government BY DANIELLE MILLEY Staff Writer DURHAM - Durham Legion members members say lowéring the Canadian flag to half-mast is a way to show respect to those who died while defending all the flag represents; : Members were commenting Tuesday on the federal government's decision not , to lower the Maple Leaf on Parliament Hill when a Canadian soldier dies in combat. "That's what they're defending, is our flag, is our country. Why wouldn't it be the necessary thing to do?" asked'Ira Peters of lowering the flag. Mr. Peters is president of Royal Cana dian Legion Branch 112 in Whitby. He said the branch lowered the flag "as soon as we heard about" the death of the ' four soldiers recently in Afghanistan. Mr. Peters thinks the decision made by the federal government does a disservice to the fallen soldiers. "It's very disrespectful, no more than it would be to have a member of Parliament Parliament die and to not lower the flag," he said. ' , "We expect soldiers and troops to go to foreign countries to fight for what we believe in, and when they pay the ultimate ultimate sacrifice we should pay respect." He believes every Canadian flag should be dropped to half-mast when a soldier dies in the line of duty. Jack Ballinger, president of Uxbridge Branch 170, disagrees. He said the Legion will lower the flag when a member dies or when a soldier is killed, but the federal , government can use its discretion; "When it is really meaningful and affects the whole country it should be down at half- mast," he said. As of Tuesday morning the flag at', the branch hadn't been, lowered yet to honour the, soldiers soldiers killed, in Afghanistan. But Mr. Ballinger said he was going to do it later to coincide with the service for "It should have down," he said. "I'm going to go and lower the flag out of respect." . • Mr. Ballinger can' understand the fed eral government's decision. "If there is a war and a lot of things happen you could have your flag down all the time," he said. He also agreed with the Conservatives' decision to not allow the media to be present to cover the soldiers' soldiers' bodies being returned to Canada. "I think the families are mourning enough... That's not a time you need a lot of media coverage. George Boumer, a member of Pickering's Pickering's Bay Ridges Branch 606 and a zone service officer, didn't have an opinion on what the federal government should do. As a Korean War veteran, he did say that times are different now in that not everyone knew when a soldier was killed back then because there weren't reporters reporters embedded with troops. And, historically historically the flag wasn't lowered each time a soldier was killed. "Things were different when we were overseas," he said. Mr. Boumer said instructions come from the legion zone command as to when to lower the flag. "I personally think it is a nice gesture to lower the flag," he said. While the flag was flying full-mast at the Bowmanville Legion Branch 178 on Tuesday, attempts by The Canadian Statesman to get a comment from its president went unanswered. Ajax Branch 322 wouldn't comment and referred questions to the zone commander, commander, as did Sir William Stephenson Branch 637 in Oshawa. Reaching Your Goals Freedom 55 Takes Careful Planning Financial That's Why We're Here to Help. •Individual life insurance •Disability insurance •Business insurance •Travel insurance •RRIFs, LIFs & Annuities •GICs & mutual funds •Group insurance •Group retirement plans •Mortgages •RRSPs & RESPs QUADRUS, Quadrat Investment Services ltd. 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