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a SN. "A Family Tradition for 128 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 24, 1995 - 7. 188 MARY STREET - PORT PERRY, ONTARIO LoL 187 PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX 985-3708 The Port Perry Star is authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mail Registration Number 0265 Subscription Rate: 6Months-$17.65 includes $1.15GST 1Year-$32.10 Forelgn-$90.95 includes $2.10GST includes $5.95GST The Port Perry Star GOR A ator toon RIBBON AWARD General Mgr. - Don Macleod Managing Editor - Jeff Mitchell Sports Editor - Kelly Lown ADVERTISING Advertising Manager - Anna Jackman Advertising Sales - Bill Eastwood Advertising Sales - Rhonda Mulcahy Production - Pamela Hickey BLUE 1994 BUSINESS OFFICE Office Manager - Gayle Stapley Accounting - Judy Ashby, Louise Hope Retail Sales - Kathy Dudley, Nancy Lee PRODUCTION Annabell Harrison, Trudy Empringham, Susan Milne, Robert Taylor, Richard Drew *CNA @& Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association Ontario Community Newspaper Association Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Lid. Port Perry, Ontario CCNA 4 Vv [=] CIRCULATION 1 _ETTERS Coaches make tough decision To the Editor: I would like to respond to the letter of the week that was ti- tled "Sometimes, winning isn't everything, coach." After reading this letter I found myself reading between the lines. I wish that this hock- ey parent could see the situa- tion through a coach's eyes. If winning isn't everything, then why do we keep score? I am a coach for the Port Perry Minor Hockey Associa- tion. I have been coaching now for the last nine years, and even today I am still learning about the fundamentals of coaching. Recently I made a formal apolo- gy to two of my players for being too hard on them. I apologized because I was in the wrong, and as a coach admitting you're wrong is a difficult thing to do. I was not hard on these boys to display my power, or to use them as a team scapegoat, but because I felt they had superior potential and 1 was trying to bring out the best in them. I am agreeing with the coach's decision 100 per cent. Did you ever stop and think what would have happened to your son's self-esteem if the op- posing team had scored when your son was on the ice? Your son would have faced ridicule from his teammates, other par- ents and the coaching staff. I'm sure the coach wanted to guarantee the win for the team, so he put out his best players, the players that could handle the pressure of the situation. I don't think the coach made your son feel inadequate or reduced his self esteem, but rather he spared him the unnecessary pressure and the potential em- barrassment that could have re- sulted because of his lack of ex- perience. ' Remember that this is only your son's first year, and in hockey as in life, we have to put in our time. Your son's time will come; one day he too will shine. Instead of demeaning the coach's decision and coaching abilities, then why don't you ask the coach what hockey skills your son can develop, so that there will be a time when he can have the opportunity to prove that he has the potential to han- dle the pressure. In closing, since you are so quick to make the coach respon- sible for his actions, why don't you lead by example and take responsibility for your own. For starters, by signing your Shawn D. Parker, (coach) Mid-winter musings, maybe... To the Editor: I have a few things that I want to say at least once more and my wife has reached the stage where she is sick and tired of listening to them. Oh, she hasn't said so, but it is that 'askance look that tells me. So, Mr. Editor, you are elected. Firstly, there is that over- worked affirmative expression "Exactly." It reminds me of an expression that was very much over worked during the time of my youth. Remember, I go back a lot farther than most of you. When I was young my father pointed out to me that it was all right to be positive up until you turn 21. I found out that he was correct. The Bell Telephone Co.'s com- mercials are boring me to tears. They seem to be everywhere and on all the time. I can't help wondering how much lower the rates could be if they would cut back on the advertising budget. I am sure that no one has ex- plained to the company execu- tives the purpose of advertising: "Advertising is designed to sell you something that you don't need for more money than you should pay." The referendum regarding the province of Quebec is a seri- ous matter. Whether Quebec stays or leaves is important to every citizen of Canada, so the decision should be made by all the citizens of Canada; not by a minority group, for example, the citizens of Quebec. If the majority does not rule then we have lost touch with democracy and a minority will rule. "Don't Pay" is becoming a dangerous thing. The part that scares me is that it must be working, because there appears to be more and more of it all the time. I can remember during the late 60s when the financial in- stitutions were trying to con- vince everyone that they had to have a credit card. Within a very short time, many people found it necessary to declare personal bankruptcy. In fact the Toronto daily newspapers published articles explaining the proper use of credit cards. About 20 years later our elect- ed politicians got into the pay later syndrome, and you know what they have done to us. We are on the verge of bankruptcy. I would like to close with these remarks: It is your money and where you spend it is your business. But don't spend what you do not have. It always turns out to be far too expensive that way. Patienceis a virtue. Sincerely, Mike Sheridan, Greenbank Snow. underway in the spring. taxpayers. said. 10 YEARSAGO Tuesday, January 29, 1985 Scugog Township residents were faced with a new bylaw forcing them to keep the sidewalks in front of their homes clear of ice and Approximately 63,000 pages of the Port Perry Star, dating back to 1857 were microfilmed by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association at the cost of $9,000. Officials with the Durham Separate Schodl Board were confident that negotiations over a site for a new elementary school in Scugog would be settled and the construction of the facility would get The Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting with special awards being presented to Ralph Wilbur, for 20 years of service playing Santa Claus, and Miriam Price for 12 years of service. Babies born across Durham Region were presented with free T- shirts reading "The First Generation of Non-Smokers." Durham councillors were busy sharpening their pencils trying to bring in a budget with a net impact of five per cent on the "It is unlikely small municipalities such as Scugog, Brock and Uxbridge will experience any dramatic shifts in the rate of industrial expansion," Durham Region chairman Gary Herrema Canterbury Common From page 6 site for years to come. The golf course being open to the public would bring revenue into the community and increase the value of the homes and land. This was a big factor when some of the purchasers decided to buy in Canterbury Common. 'MacKenzie M.E.F. Manage- ment's plan is to have a private park instead of the 9-hole golf course. Who will maintain the park? Will the homeowners be charged a monthly or yearly fee for maintenance that can be in- creased at any time? This is a big concern of the purchasers at this time. MacKenzie M.E.F. Manage- ment has now changed all those plans. We feel something should be done to protect the purchasers of the development. The purchasers are not going to just let this development, as presented to the purchasers and approved by the town of Port Perry, go down the drain. We have every intention of fighting to save Canterbury Common and the 9-hole golf course. Respectfully, Canterbury Common Purchasers represented by Mr. J.H. London Council vote is laudable To the Editor: Last week's unanimous coun- cil position on the Canterbury Commons matter (as reported 2 the Port Perry Star) is lauda- e. Council should continue to closely monitor this issue to in- sure the development is com- pleted in a manner that is satis- factory to both the Township Administration and prospective homeowners. Art Murcott, Ashburn Editor's Notepad by Jeff Mitchell JANUARY GETS TO A GUY... NEWS FLASH: (UPI) The sun was spotted brief- ly in Port Perry Thursday morning (Jan. 19). The appearance, which last for approximately 32 seconds just after 10 a.m., created pandemonium in this sleepy town on the shores of picturesque Lake Scugog, where no one ever locks their doors and will gladly loan money to anyone who asks. Townspeople, who have endured eight and a half months of overcast skies and inpenetrable fog, greeted the sun's arrival with glee, gathering in the streets to gaze heavenward in wonder. "It's -- it's beautiful," said Martha Glumph, 68, of Purple Hill, as she observed the pale yellow disk floating behind a thin haze. Mothers and their children gathered along the streets of town, mingling with merchants and den- izens of a local tavern. "What's that, Mommy?" one little girl asked as her friends shrieked and splashed in puddles around her. CNN dispatched a crew to Port Perry upon hear- ing of the phenomenon, but arrived too late. "Ah, nuts," said a cameraman as clouds gathered and fog began once more to creep along the streets. "This is a great occurrence, and a sign of better times to come," Scugog Mayor Howard Hall told the media during a hastily-arranged press confer- ence. He announced plans to change the name of the town's Snow Flake Festival to the Sun Beam Bash in honor of the event. No explanation for the sun's rare appearance was apparent at press time, but the provincial government has announced plans to form a Royal Commission to study the phenomenon. 'WAY DOWN LOW: I knew Johnny Anonymous was in a deep funk the moment I heard his voice on the phone. "What's wrong, man?" I asked in my best Concerned Friend voice. ) "What's wrong?" he croaked. "What's not wrong?" He took a breath and launched into his very own version of the January Blues: "Have you read the paper? What's the dollar worth now in the U.S.? About a nickel? And interest rates: I have a house on the market and I know I'm just gonna sit in it until I grow old and die, if I get to grow old, what with this flesh-eating disease running around in the tap water. God! Things are bad enough alrea- dy, and along comes a disease that eats you!" "John," I interjected calmly, "John: Relax. You've got a bad case of January, that's all. Pick yourself up, man." "It's no use..." he was whimpering. "Snap out of it, John!" I shouted into the phone. "Do something! Go out and buy a new shirt. Spend a lot of money on CDs or something. Sit in some low-down bar and get poo-poo-faced watching day- time TV with the locals. Go to work with loud box- er shorts on under your trousers. C'mon, get with it." My friend sighed as though he bore the cares of a thousand souls on his own shoulders. "You're right," he said. "I think I'll start at the bar, then go buy a shirt and some loud underwear." "Atta boy," I said.