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w Page 18, Whitby Free Press, Wecfnesday, Febnuazy 23, 1994 Australian student spends a year in Whitby By Laura Morris Whitby has a visitor from Down Under. Kirsten Trezona is an 18-year- old from Darwin, Australia who le spending a year in Whitby under the Rotary Club exchange prograin. A student at a boarding school in Adelaide Australia, and at Anderson MV for the current semester, Trezona says her im- pression of Canada had been "as more of a huntin g country with lots of small villages, not big cities.» But se recently enjoyed a visit te Toronto, and especially enjoyed shopping at the Eaton Centre (Im going to have to go back») and her firet subway ride. As for Whitby, "I can't get over the amount of donut stores," she says. «Vie don't have stores just for donuts.» Another difference is housing. Here, «Ail the houses look the same. At home, you would not eee the saine style house on the same road. And two-storey houses are very r are." She will se. more of Canada at an upcoming orientation meeting in Ottawa where exehange stu- dents will attend seminars and tour Parliament, and, later this year, she will take a bus tour acrose the country, "It's the experience of a life- time " says Rotary Club of Whitly %president Barrie liennox, noting that students who apply and are selected for the prora "gain an understanding of'the people and their culture. The Rotary Club pays the cost of air fare and other expenses, including an allowance for extra spendingmoney. Students who apply for the exchanges MIl out an application that includes a list of 12 coun- tries to b. numbered in order of preference. Aplications are eiewed by a slecincmmitta short list of canddtsi aeand they are interviewed to determine who will be chosen. ROTARY EXCHANGE STUDENT Kirsten Trezona presents Whitby Mayor Tom Edwards with a tie, a birthday present from the Rotary Club of Whitby. Trezona, who's from Darwin, Australia, is spending a year in Whitby through the Rotary exohange pro- gram. Poby àv Reaor. Whitby Froe Prs Fanwitfodi battie o the badges Vihen a mysterious-looking package arrived recently at police headqurtrs, did officers cail for the bomb squad or sniffer dogs? No, they called for an expert of another kind, their Weight Watchers At Work leader Kelly Taylor. 'We were pretty sure we knew what was in the box and who sent it," said Metro police inspecter Brian Cove-Shannon. 'When Kelly arrived and the box was opened, our worst fears were realized. The. box contained donuts. "Not just your plain donuts, but chocolate and creamn-filled ones, too. le there no end to the lengths these fiends will go?" The donuts and pizzas and taunting fax messages are just some of the psychological pranks being played between the police services of Metro, Peel and Durham as they compete in the 1994 Weight Watchers Battle of the Badges, a unique weight lose and fundraising canipaign. The Battle of the Badges, now at its mid-way point, is based on participation in a 1-week Weight Watchers At Work program that combines gcoup supor and lifestyle education in wee ky meetings at each services' - Beng 'isters' is easy fun Big and Little Sisters will enioy breakfast at McDonald's in Whitby on Saturday as one of the final events during February, Big and Little Sisters Month iocally. McDonald's annually holde the free breakfast for Big and Little Sister matches. Earlier this month child photo and ringerprinting was held, sponoreDy the orgaization and the Independent Order of Foresters along wlnth an evening event at 'ýVeeries for Little Sis- tors and their familles. Big Sisters hosted an orien- tation meeting on Feb. 16. Fr those interested in becoming a Big Sister an orientation meeting je held every third Wednesday o the month. Mary Kay will also hold a makeupn workshop for Little Sis- ters over age 12 and their Big Sisters. According te, Nancy Hooper, a Big Sister frOmr Whitby, -the organization le «based on the fact tha the child would benefit romi havig a friend.» T.eyr goal of Big Sisters NOW ilet match a youngrgrl between ages five and 17 with a Big Sister. They also match boys aged five to il in their 'iàttle Buddies' program. Ini the Whitby-Oshawa-New- castle area, there are currently more than 40 children on the waiting list and 67 active matches. Hooper bas nothing but praise for the prograni. «It'sfun for the Big Sister as much as the Little.' She and 13-year-old Amanda spend their time tegether bak- ing,. cooking, and going out te mêmies or dinner, aong with talking. "fW. bit it off really fast, both of us, and so really we felt close prety early on,» said Hooper. ;=oswho are nervous about becoming a Big Sister shouldn't worry about being on -their owni because, according te Hooper, the program has an excellent sup- port system. "«So you can get to know the child but you always have the support if you want to talk about any probleme or questions with the staff.» Tii. minimum time commit- ment requested by Big Sisters je three to four hours a week for the. minimum of a year. It may seem like a huge undertaking but it's not, says Hooper. «A lot of people say they don't have the time. But it's just s8 little. It's very easy te fit into even a busy sehedule. And it's fun,' she said. Anyone can become a Big Sis- ter, from a single young woman te a seniors. A lot of dîfferent reope make excellent Big Sis- Anyone interested ini becoming either a Little Sister or a lâttle Buddy should have a parent or family friend contact, Big Sisters at 43e. 001. headquarters. Weight Viatchers contributed the prograni fee te the deeignated charity, i*n this case the Sunahine Foundation, and police officers and niembers collect pledges tied te, the amount of weight each loses. Because each service has a dilTere nt number of participants, the winning teani is declared based on the highest average weight loss. Individual winners will also- b. acknowledged for their efforts as top 'loser' and tep fundraiser. "Vie are sworn to secrecy," said Inspector Tony Turner of Durhamn Region, 'but I can confirm that our teamin j committed te winning. Vihen the final tallies are announced, P'm confident that Durhamn will corne out on top. "Thepranka are just part of the traditional rivalry between the services. 0f course, though, I amn neither confirmi'ng nor .denying that we had anything te do with the five double-cheese anchovy pizzas delivered te Metro last week." -~fBROOKLTN )§<-- Art breakucomrng Tii. Optimist Club of Brooklin will hold its ninth annuel ' Instructional Are' proram, during March break. Tii. five-day program will b. held Monda, March 14 te Friday, Mac 18, 9 a.m. te, 3:30 p.m., at Thunderbird Golf Club, one kilometre west of Ashburn. Registration in $50 par student and half-price for ever, child after the first regfistraton per family. Ile fee includes ail materials, lunches each day and a field trip te the Royal Ontario Museum on Friday. Tii. prograni offers students aged 8 te 14 an oppotunity to work in avaey of différent medium, icldng leather sculpture, weavig and paintingl multi-media. "The. art camp je a really good opportunity for the ldds to explore artistic slil. Somne of the artwork in fantastic," says Optimist preaident Bob Baker. Registration forme are available from* the Video Image in Brooklin.. For more information, cali Leslie Carney at 655-4434. Brooklin-area churches wil hold a combined World Day of Prayer service at Meadowcrest Baptist Church on Prday, March 4 at 1:30 p.m. I..Guest speaker will be Juanita Elizee. Everyone is welcome.