i £ § i i : X "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" le John Park, owner of the Esso Station a & nd Mac's Milk on High- way 7A in Port Perry donated hot dogs and other goodies for the day. Mr. Park is seen enjoying a hot dog with his daughter Yuri, son Dean and wife Young. Lefters to the editor Is writer's perspective clouded? To the Editor: Re: Joan Gates' Ontario Abandoning the Helpless" In 1981, three per cent of the people with a developmental handicap lived in institutions. They consumed 94 per cent of the provincial budget allocated for people with developmental handicaps. By 1991, the number of peo- ple in institutions had dimin- 1shed, and now only 1.8 per cent of all people with developmen- tal handicaps reside in institu- tions. They consume 46.8 per cent of the money which is available for all people with de- velopmental handicaps. The 53 per cent of money which is going to the "communi- ty" is mostly allocated to sup- port those coming out of institu- tions, so we still have over 90 per cent of the money going to support about three per cent of the people with developmental handicaps. Those in institutions are not the "worst" or the "most handi- capped". They are simply those whose parents cannot or will not keep them at home. Ability has nothing to do with it. Each person represented in institu- tions is more than equally rep- resented in the community, usually living with over-worked and aging parents. The system doesn't work. From the point of view of the majority of people with develop- mental handicaps and their Northern Explosion will be on CFTO [t's only a short time until the musical "Joseph and His Tecni- color Dreamcoat" hits the stage in Toronto and right along with it will be a group of students from Port Perry. Northern Explosion, stu- dents from Port Perry High School and R.H. Cornish, will be appearing in the chorus on opening night, June 24. If you can't get to Toronto to gee them, they will be a pearing on CFTO's "Miracle of Life" Tel- ethon on May 30 between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. families it represents massive failure to achieve its purpose. That it has been allowed to con- tinue as it does for so long re- veals the depth of misunder- standing within our culture of what families whose loved one had a developmental handicap want as support. It supports only the notion that handicap is a burden to be dealt with rather than a challenge to learn from and enjoy. Joan Gates is moaning about the end of this bizarre support system In the name of God, why? Does her concern for un- ionized institutional employees cloud her perspective of what the community "need "is? Institutions have existed on the backs of vulnerable people for generations. They are clos- ing because they are abusive, and unnecessary. Let's be done with it! We need to redirect our efforts and our resources to support families and children at home with their families where they belong. expensive, Dawn Roper, Chairperson, Family Support Institute Ontario so. #3 SCOTT ANDERSON/ PORT PERRY STAR Three area Esso stations held Thankful Tankful Day on Saturday, with a portion of the pro- ceeds from the gasoline sales going to Easter Seals. A number of the local children and par- ents helped Mayor Howard Hall fill his car. We congratulate G&B Mahoney Investments Ltd. on the successful completion of the offices for the Ministry of Agriculture & Food. A. OPPERS LTD. Suppliers of Commercial Windows/Doors/Vestibules/Awnings & Vertical Blinds = Our Own ROAST BEEF ww. 2 Fr A FA Onion or i Sesame Seed EN 7 DAYN A WE . : Ls RR [WV § > No. 1 Grade BUTTERFLY" HAM 4 Ib | PASTRAMI or CORNED 35 ed FR 3 N Fresh y ib. Fresh PORK 49 BAC S 1s. a