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> Scugog Citi. Finnish student in Scugog by Heather McCrae For the next few months Port Perry will be home for a seventeen year old woman from Finland. Since August 9 Riikka Ketonen has been living with John and Bev Dawson and their family in Prince Albert. Here on a year's exchange visit jointly arranged through Youth for Understanding in Finland and the Optimist Club of Brooklin she says, of the 40 countries she could have chosen, she selected Canada. \ "I wanted to come to a country where there was plenty of snow and the people spoke English" she told the Citizen. And she hasn't been disappointed! Back home, Riikka's favourite season is winter where they have much' more snow than we ever get and the weather often stays at' minus 15-30 Celsius. % While Finnish is her native tongue; she speaks English fluently as she began learning the language in Grade Three. Also speaking "a bit of Germafi, some Swedish" and a little bit of French" she says English is the easiest language to learn. With the Christmas season now upon"us, the two countries celebrate the yuletide season somewhat differently. For instance, in Finland OGH announces temporary downsizing Oshawa General. Hospital today announced temporary downsizing plans, during the holiday season at Christmas/New Year between December 23 and January 7, and at the 1996 March break. Essential services will be maintained to the community. "We are committed to providing patient care for emergency cases which come'to the Emergency Department," said David Home, Chief Executive Officer, "but would like the community to be fully aware that some Family Physicians' offices and Urgent Care Facilities are open 'during the period and should be used for non-emergency visits. Durham Region residents should also know that we are making arrangements with some local hospitals to secambodsts ome of the patients requiring admission through Emergency during the downsizing period, due to a shortage of 19 gee.» In addition, the Regional Dialysis Program, Critical Care: Units, Birthing Suite, Nursery and Post Partum Unit, Chemotherapy, Crisis Intervention, the Detoxification Unit at Pinewood Centre and one operating room for urgent and emergency cases will be fully maintained during the seasonal downsizing. Continued increase in demand for services with no corresponding provincial funding has Helping people learn to learn. If you or someone you know' would like to improve reading, writing or math, look under LEARN in the Yellow Pages™ directors € A ' oa JOOK Yar (EARN resulted in a hospital deficit which could be as much as $4.5 million by March 31, 1996. The Oshawa General Hospital Board of Governors has approved a plan designed to eliminate the deficit if necessary funding levels are not maintained. While negotiations are continuing with the Ministry of Health, this plan is 'designed to maintain only essential hospital services. During the downsizing, Elective Surgery will not' be scheduled, most service departments will be closed and others will provide essential services only. A total of 119 beds will be out of service during these periods with a 44 bed reduction through March 1996, which may result .in longer waiting times in Emergency and for Surgery. These adjustments to operations will require the use of legislated social contract days, assigned the Tree is only brought into the house the morning of Christmas Eve to be originated from Finland. "He (Santa Claus) lives in the mountains of decorated. Later in the day+ Lapland with his reindeer" the people visit the cemeteries where they place lit candles on the graves of relatives and friends. And before they enjoy the festive dinner and exchanging of gifts, everyone takes a Christmas sauna! Riikka says her family likes to give hand-made ° gifts more so than store bought items. The next day, being Christmas Day, the people go to church and visit with relatives but the real festivities take place the night before. The Finnish firmly believe Santa Claus vacations and short-term layoffs for staff. Further steps include cost reductions, hiring restriction and increased non-government revenues. Mr Home also said that "I know that the plan to increase social contract. days and implement short-term layoffs will create hardships for our staff. However this downsizing is our only alternative as we continue negotiations with the Ministry of Health." "Oshawa General Hospital will continue to look for cost effective ways of providing services while coping with the fiscal restraint of the provincial funding. This includes working with the other hospitals in the Durham Region and the District Health Council to provide the best quality care possible to the residents of the Durham area with the funds available," said Bruce Mackey, Chair of '. the Board of Governors, Townsh APPLICANTS MUST: - Possess a current, valid Monday to Friday from P.O. Box 780, Port FIRE DEPARTMENT requires PART-TIME FIREFIGHTERS Part-time Firefighters are required for Station 1 (Port Perry) and Station,2 (Caesarea). - Be at least 18 years of age - Be able to successfully complete both written and » physical testing as required by the department. Previous applicants are welcome to reapply. Full training and equipment is supplied to all ~ * successful candidates. Employment to commence January 1996. Closing date is December 13, 1995. Application forms are available at : Stationi#1, 30 Crandel St., OR The Township of Sc Clerk's Department, ip of Scugog Ontario Drivers' Permit 9:00 erry, Ont. LOL 1A7 she says, a region in the ° northern part of Finland - at the Arctic Circle. Riikka is in Grade 12 at PPHS where she's taking English, Math, Sociology and Travel and Tourism and has received excellent marks. Her high school 'back home' has a student population of 300 students and is one of seven high schools in Lahti, a city of 90,000 people where she lives. "My English has improved a lot and I think all the time in it" she said. "I don't think Finnish here at all", Since arriving in Port Perry she's been on a nine day trip to the East Coast and has tried "roller skating which she found to be fun. 4 Living with = the' Dawson's, she now knows more about lob ball than she thought she ever would and attended several tournaments over the summer. Riikka enjoys hiking, swimming and biking and is involved with Melissa Dawson in the First Whitby Ventures. If we think clothes are expensive here we'd think the prices in Finland are atrocious as a pair of Levis there cost $150. of more. The Dawsons are enjoying their guest and the culture she brings. "She's become another member of our family" Mr. Dawson said. bg Rilkka Ketonen, an exchange student from Finland chose to live In Canada for a year. She wanted to live in a country that has plenty of show : and where people speak English. She hasn't heen _ disappointed. See story. 4H Horse Club The Durham West 4-H Horse Club met at Fresh Water® Farm in Cannington at 6:00 p.m. on October 30, 1995. This was the first meeting of the club. Leaders Jane Heatherington, Sue Ruttan, Karen Boyd and Karen Shier took us on a tour of the , telling us about the diferent rooms and stallsy and what certain equipment was used for. : We introduced ourselves by saying how much experience we had with + horses and what.types of * horses we've worked with. The club executives were elected, and we filled out member information sheets. This club will involve learning about the training and management of horses, including behaviour, instinct, tying the horse, grooming, longeing, riding problems, stable vices and much more. Ge Lakes Manufacturer's Depot 'End of the Line" CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Purchase 3 licensed youth T-shirts at $7.00 each, and receive the Baseball Items 4"one free! * Fleece Tops Fleece Bottoms Sweaters Caps Casual Wear T-shirts Coats or ' New Items Weekly! ours: M-Th. 10-6 Fri. 10-9 Sat. 8:30-5 Sun. closed Daily In-store specials! y ex: 2 for 1, 1/2 off second item etc 191 Main St. North, Uxbridge, Ontario 852-4488 * Offer valid until Dec. 09/95