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Talkin - Scugog Township will be blazing in red and white this com- ing Saturday (April 25) as the "Proud to be Canadian Tour" comes to Port Perry. Red and white are the colours of our Canadian flag. and the "Proud to be Canadian Tour," organized by the national Kinsmen organization has tumed into a coast to coast celebra tion of the flag and unity 1992, the 125 anniversary of Confederation Earlier this year, two Canadian flags stared a cross-Canada tour, one Moving cast 10 west, the other west lo cast. And one of the flags will be in Pont Perry this coming Saturday The local Pont Perry Kinsmen club has organized a senes of cvents to mark this special occasion on Saturday, starting with a parade a 9:30 AM from the high school 10 Palmer Park, a special dedication ceremony in the Park starting at 11:00 AM and 12:00 noon The youth of this community (under voting age) will be able 10 sign their names to a special flag as a show of unity and pnde in this country Later this year, on July |, similar sig nature flags from all over Canada, will be presented © Queen Elizabeth in Ouawa Along with the parade, the dedicavon and signing cere- monies in the park, there will be numerous other events and attractions for the public mn Port Perry this Saturday It promises to be an interesting day for the community, especially the young people who will have this unique chance 10 put their names on a Canadian "signature flag = More importantly, the festivities will give everyone in Scugog (and beyond the borders) who cares about Canada, a chance 10 be pant of something very special' unity Over the decades, Canadians have not been "flag waven" © the same degree as our neighbours © the south where the Stars and Stripes flies everywhere 365 days a year = Though Canada is celebrating 125 years as a nation, it was less than 30 years ago that the country got its own distinctive flag. and then not without a bitter national debate Today, more so than st any time in the last 125 y . the future of the nation hangs in the balance Sr 3 ao issue on the minds of most. me ----r got its act together, it's now We C d the I Kinsmen org) presi- dent Dave Robinson (a Port Perry resident) for their efforts in this "Proud to be Canadian Tour." Likewise, the local Kinsmen of Port Perry who have worked so hard to put together the events for the coming weekend. Now, the rest is up to you Check out the posters in promi- nent locations in the community to find out times dnd loca- tons of all the events The Scugog Museum is selling flags of all sizes. Why not got one for your lawn or business or just 10 cary around on Saturday? Take the children © Palmer Park this Saturday moming. have them sign the flag and give them » memory that will last a life-time, not to mention a lesson in history and unity kt has been often sald that the rest of the world looks upon this place called Canada with bewilderment. Blessed with an abundance of just about everything that provides us with a life-style virtually unknown elsewhere on this planet, Canada has not been able 10 sor out its in | \ TN i COME HELP CLEAN UP THE CAUSEWAY / . sony APRIL ze, 1992 4:30PM Spl Di AD EA SRE yee Firefighters deserve some credit for the outstanding job they do To the editor: That bloody beeper again! Beep, beep, beep, damn, what ume is 17 316 am | hurry © gat dressed, my wife surs, "It's OK, honey, go back 10 sleep." My hand slips from bers, | reassure her, "T"ll be fine, see you soon." As the door cases shut behind me | am unaware of her concern and her whispers of, "Please, be careful = The cold sir of this winter night slaps me into consciousness as | burst into the darkness. The snow seems 10 crunch like egg shells under foot, in what scoms 10 be all wo familiar middle of the night ritual. | hope the old girls starts. "Come on, come on, good." as | slip the worn gear shifl into first, my old car displays her reluctance © go anywhere on 8 might like this. "Don't worry, old girl, 1 feel the same way" As | mrrive at the fire hall, some problems of \gnguage and unity Waving the flag has never been our style. Perhaps this was our way of subconsciously putting distance between ourselves and our flag- waving neighbours. But maybe that's been pant of the problem; this reluctance © wave the flag Maybe we ought 10 give it a try. It can't do my harm. And this coming Saturday (April 25) in Port Perry will be a great place to start As we rush out the door there is an ceric silence among us, we all know the Johnsons -- Bill, and his wife Mary and their six kids. We also know the results of fire at this time of night ofien end in tragedy Brave men one and all, these modern gladiators who ride their chariots of smoke and fire through the night. The haunting wail of the siren summons all who would lis ten. The sound of hope reaches out as 8 nuisance 10 some, but the only chance of survival 0 others. As a resident of Durham and a full-time firefighter with the City of Scarborough, | often wonder how many people realize the sacr- fices that are made by their volun- weer fire deparument. The dedicat- od men of these outposts of hope, are often forced © perform a very difficult job with limited resources. | may be wromg but it seems (0 me that the political powers © be wre satisfied as long as (hey have a fire truck of any help arm these dedicated men with the best equipment money can You must have to be a very dedicated soul © want © be a vol- unteer firefighter. | am sure most of these guys have one or maybe two jobs, to try and make ends meet in these tough times. | can't imagine what it must be like 0 arrive home from work and then be called out 10 a fire or car wreck. Perhaps called out in the middie of the night and have 10 get up for your 'day job'. As a firefighter with the City of Scarborough when | finish work | know | can go home and rest, and spend some quality my family. I know that | 't be called out. The volunteers are always on call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a tes, and the list goes on, do these families endure in a year? | hope you noted | ssid 'families', it's not Just the firefighter who makes sac- rifices, it's his whole family. So, hats off © you, and yow families, as | know you are greatly sppreci- ated for your time, effort and dedi- Cation 10 Our Community. 1 think i is high time ong of the newspapers in town did an in- depth article into the voluntoers of our community. Who are these guys and their families? What makes them tick? Let's give them a pat on the back, and the commu- nity an opportunity (0 shake their hands and say thanks. Toker 3. Briley, Port Perry. Editor's Note: We happen 10 agree with Mr. Briley! Since we received time with the Scugog Fire Department's hall #1 (Port Perry) and writing about his experiences. Hopefully, he'll get the chance in the near future!