www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, March 25, 2016 | 6 Daffodil Days are here Despite the vicious blast of winter weather that arrived yesterday, it's spring. The rst day of the season was last weekend, this weekend is Easter. Tulips and daffodils aren't far behind, a few green sprouts have already poked through the soil -- and with it all comes the promise of the new season. While tulips and daffodils are symbols of this season, the bright yellow sunshine-like daffodil is also a symbol of hope for the Canadian Cancer Society -- hope that cancer will be beaten. And though the winter took its toll, no matter how mild, so too has cancer taken its toll, as it continues to do so, with loved ones lost. Former Toronto mayor and councillor Rob Ford will lie in repose at Toronto City Hall Easter Monday and next Tuesday before a Wednesday memorial service. Love him or not, his life was taken by cancer much too early at the age of 46. We have lost many Oakville residents to the vicious disease, too. Next Tuesday, the family of the late Oakville Ward 6 councillor Max Khan will host a memorial service for Max, who after beating leukemia several times, lost his valiant battle just a year ago. Though it may be dif cult to see at times, like it was to nd visions of sunshine, green spaces and clear roads through yesterday's freezing rain, hope springs eternal. Like today's sunshine, change will come. It always does. In the ongoing search for a cure for cancer, and much improved treatments, daffodils will be on sale March 31-April 3 and April 7-10 for the Canadian Cancer Society fundraiser Daffodil Days. The owers and pins will be sold at various locations around town. Those who purchase the blooms will be helping support the search for a cure. We each have our own reasons for buying daffodils or volunteering with the Canadian Cancer Society. Cancer touches everyone in some way. There isn't anyone who hasn't been affected by the wretched illness or lost someone special to it. But even as we shed tears because of the disease, so too, must we summon our resolve and ght back. If volunteering for Daffodil Days is something you can do in that challenge, the local Canadian Cancer Society, Halton would more than welcome your helping hand. Volunteers are needed to act as site managers and help sell daffodil pins in Oakville and throughout Halton. Volunteers are critical to the Canadian Cancer Society, Halton and its accomplishments and it wouldn't be able to support, inform and empower those touched by cancer without everyone's support. Site managers assist volunteers on-site selling daffodil pins -- the time commitment is one to two hours per day. Those interested in selling daffodil pins can sign up for three-hour shifts. Drivers are also needed to deliver daffodil pin orders to businesses in Oakville. To sign up to for a daffodil shift, visit halton. myccsschedule.ca or www.myccsschedule.ca. For more information on becoming a site manager or a driver, contact Sandy McDonald at smcdonald@ ontario.cancer.ca or 905-845-5231. If you can't volunteer, dig deep and buy some daffodils. The blooms will brighten the place you display them, the deed will brighten your day and the act will help brighten someone's future. Cancer can be beaten. Editorial R E C O R D B R E A K E R S "Connected to your Community" 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 54 | Number 25 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER KELLY MONTAGUE DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN Pictured from left, are: Sinead George, Grade 9, Iroquois Ridge High School (IRHS); Bayley McLaughlin, Grade 9, Garth Webb Secondary School; Courtney McNutt, Grade 9, IRHS -- all of whom play with the Oakville Hornets girls' hockey team -- and Brogan McLaughlin, Grade 10, Garth Webb Secondary School, who plays in the Minor Oaks Hockey Association (MOHA). The Oakville youths took part in a Guinness World Records attempt for the most hockey players in an ice hockey exhibition match on Feb. 9 in Ottawa. The attempt was hosted by Loblaw Companies Limited at the national kickoff where the old record of 374 (set in 2013) was broken -- the new record was 433. Loblaws colleagues, vendors and members of the community participated. The game was played at Ottawa's Richcraft Sensplex. The nal score of the game was Black Team 84, Red Team 69. The game began at 7:02 a.m. and ended at 2:59 p.m., with a total game time of seven hours and ve minutes. | submitted photos RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager LORI ANN GZOVDANOVIC Director of Production MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager O Support for first responders and public safety officers should be national priority Pam Damoff Member of Parliament Oakville North-Burlington My View Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association ur rst responders and public safety ofcers put themselves in harm's way everyday to protect us and ensure we are safe. Their courage and sacri ce are heroic, but sometimes even heroes need support. During my years as an Oakville Town councillor and now as a Member of Parliament (MP), I have come to recognize that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder/ Operational Stress Injury (PTSD/ OSI) is an increasing concern for those who experience or witness traumatic events daily in the line of duty. Mental and physical health are of vital importance to our rst responders -- when they are healthy, our communities are safer and stronger. We also need to work harder to reduce the stigma that may come with a diagnosis of PTSD/OSI. PTSD/OSI is associated with higher rates of illness and suicide, substance abuse, anxiety and depression in rst responders, affecting their en- Proud Official Media Sponsor For: tire families. As a Member of the Public Safety and National Security Committee, I was pleased when the committee recently passed my motion to study the issue of PTSD/OSI, including prevention, education, intervention and recovery, for our rst responders and public safety of cers. While there is increased awareness of PTSD/ OSI in public safety of cers, Canada still does not have good information on the prevalence, presee They on p.7 The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. 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