PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY APRIL 20, 1983, WHITBY FREE PRESS whitby Voice of the County Town Michael lan Burgess, 1 The only Whitby newspaper Independently owned and operated by Whitby L Pub, Publisher - Managing Editôr residents for Whitby residents. bIished every Wednesday by M.B.M. Publishing and Photography Ine. Phone 668-6111 The Free Press Building, 131 Brock Street North, P.O. Box 206, Whitby, Ont. TIMOTHY BAINES Community Editor ELIZABETH NOZDRYN Advertising Manager Second Clas Mail Registration No.5351 Sister concerned Dear Sir: i am writing about the provincial government's "Five Year Plan" as an- nounced on Oct. 1982, which propos- es to re-organize the care system for the mentally handi- capped which would involve the closing of six insti- tutions across On- tarlo within the next f ive years. i have a brother at the Durham Center in Whitby. As the sixteen year old sis- ter of one of these residents, I can see that some of them could cope with the future plan, but many require the help and care of the present system. My brother would not be able to live in a group home as he needs constant supervision and care, which he re- celves at the Dur- ham Center. Need- less to say i am ex- tremely dlstressed. My brother was I suppose there are times when anyone over 40 despairs a little about the youth of the country. And although I suppose i will despair again some time when i run into inescapable evidence of the generation gap, the Royal Military College has cured me for a while. i payed a hurried visit to R.M.C. at Kingston a few weeks ago to speak to a mess dinner for Frontenac Squadron. As a former naval cadet and an enthusiastic amateur in the field of military biography, i knew I would enjoy myself. But the reality of R.M.C. in the 1980's exceed- ed my expectations, which were coloured dimly by what I'd heard of it from the R.M.C. cadets who were my friends 30 years ago.* The spit and polish, physical toughness and mental agility that have been R.M.C. hallmarks for a long time are still required. But despite the pillbox hats and the scarlet tunics of another era, R.M.C. is no anachronism. For onething, the gentlemen cadets of R.M.C. have been joined by the lady cadets, at this juncture about 50 strong. For another, the place is probably as close to being totally bilingual as any federal enclave in the country. And the academic stan- dards are as high as the physical and military re- quirements. I have rarely run into a group of young peo- ple who impressed me as much. Polite, but without be- ing either humourless or awestruck. Intelligent, with a command of the facts but not enslavect by them; ob- viously capable of thinking and acting for themselves. In excellent physical condition, and'tough, without be- ing puritanical or abstemious about it. All that, together with the pipe music, the regimental silver gleaming in the candlelight, the food and drink, the ceremony, and a superb military band playing military airs and marches, combined for an evening I won't forget if ilive to be 90. When the dinner was over and the cadets and their guests adjourned to the next room for what promised to be a very long party, four of the cadets, - a piper, a drummer, and two dancers - gave us a taste of Scotland. It was so well done that afterwards, I expected to be introduced to Fergusons and MacGregors. Not at all. The pretty lady cadet who'd danced sof ithely with her feet pointed gracefully and her kilts snapping smart- ly spoke to me in a soft French Canadian accents that one day will drive men mad and perhaps do now. An electrical engineering student, she told me, and bound for the air service. That, in a sense, said it all for the R.M.C. of 1983. We have a right to be proud. five years old when he was at the Hur- onla Center in Oril- lia, (he's thirteen now). It was terrible. He did not receive adequate care, and stopped using the little speech that he had developed. Several times we would go there, to find they had moved him to another home in the institution without letting us know. in addition, we found stitches on his head and face. We were not even in- formed when he was admitted to the hospital very Ill. i remember once, going there to find my brother bleeding alone. The staff did not even know. Fortunà tely, the Durham Center is very different. My brother receives the proper attention he needs. He has been placed In a special program which teaches him "Blyss Symbols" (a form of sign language) as a way of expressing himself, which helps him wlth his behavioural pro- blem. The Durham Cen- ter Is only 15 to 20 minutes away from us, 80 we can visit him at least once or twice a.week. Tra- veiling to Orillia to visit my brother was extremely difficult for us during the winter, even hazard- ous. The residents of these institutions have problems which require con- stant care, (which is virtually impossible for parents and family members to provide) love and special training to help them become full, functioning hu- man beings. The Durham Cen- ter and other smali Institutions have helped them to do this. How can the government be justlfied ln even considering closing these institutions down? What kind of lives will these peo- ple lead If they do? Arnica Bhuta, 1445 Rougemount Dr. N., Pickering. 00400 Community Care Dear Sir: The fact that no food is delivered to our homes on a regular basis may be a major factor ln, the need for Whitby Community Care. "I used to enjoy walking to the store to select green vegetables - but we counted on getting milk, eggs and bread -delivered right at home - now we must go out rain or shine - hot or cold to buy every- thing." LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Margaret Hart, A founding member of Community Care. "The big stores are wonderful if your feet and legs can carry you ail the way. There is no place to sit down and get your breath back when your heart starts thump- ing." Whitby Commu- nity Care started four years ago be- cause doctors and public health nurs- es knew about some elderly peo- ple trying to man- age at home in spite of slow recovery from Illness or bro- ken bones. "You get down in the dumps - every- thing is too much trouble - the kit- chen tap is driping - the garbage got spilled - the nurse is coming and she will tell me to eat - but i can't get out to buy any food." Community Care volunteers to the re- scue - to shop, clean the kitchen, f ix the tap and ar- range the drive to Columbaus Hall fora good meal and' good talk. Whitby Jail correct info Dear Sir: The Correctional Staff at the Whitby Jali would like to correct the Informa- tion contained in one of the items in the 'Durham Police Summary', located on page three of the Whitby Free Press of March 30, 1983: ("Two men escaped from the custody of guards at the Whit- by Jail last Wednes- day..."). In fact, the two prisoners were still in transit from court at the time of their escape and had not yet been returned to the custody of the jail's Correctional Staff. Responsi- bility for the escape should not, there- fore, have been at- tributed to the jail staff. Yours truly, Graham Field, President, Unit 19, Local 301, (Whitby Jail), of O.P.S.E.U. f.. "B,'.