TERRACE STANDARD.

"INSIDE | | SECTION B
COMMUNITY | JENNIFER LANG
“EVENTS B2 638-7283

Around Town

Speaking up?
ARE YOU UP for an acting challenge? The,
Terrace Little Theatre is looking to cast its
2003 drama festival entry, Speaking in
Tongues, an award-winning drama written by

“Andrew Bovell,

Auditions are being held at the McColl
Playhouse Dec. 9 and 10 at 7 p.m.

Director Patrick McIntyre may cast the play
,a8 a challenging four-actor set piece, says pro-

_ ducer Nancy Stone-Archer, or‘as a nine actor

‘ ensemble.

In 1996, the Australian newspaper declared "

. it the best new play of the year. Bovell's com-
plex mystery of infidelity and deceit revolves

-around two couples and and their chance en-
counters with people who appear to be in-
volved with murder, suicide and betrayal.

. ‘This play deals intimately with our connec-
tions to those we care about and to those we
may not even know, Stone-Archer says.

If you would like to assist back stage,
yau’re encouraged to get involved. Diana
Braathen is senior stage manager and is also
acting as assistant director. Two or more assis- ~
tant stage managers will be required to assist '

- two directors for two productions to keep re-
hearsal schedules reasonable. '

“For the technically inclined, there will be.
advanced use of light, music and sound, as the
set will probably be minimal,” she adds.

Speaking in Tongues will be presented in
Terrace May 1-3 and 8-10. The play will thes -
travel to Prince Rupert for the Skeena Zone |
Drama Festival May 28-31.

4-H club elects exec

THE TERRACE Shamrock 4-H Club, a youth
program where the motto is “Learn to do by

. Doing”, is heading into another successful
year of raising livestock and other rewarding
projects.

The club recently held is annual executive
elections. Jessica Peters is president, vice pre-
sident is Tanis Place, Samantha Koopmans is
secretary, the treasurer is Rebécca Esau, and.
the phone committee will consist of Conor
~-Wreggitt: and William Place.

Rachel Haliski has been elected to the po-
sition of club reporter, while Devon Foote is
the Safety officer and Elizabeth Peters is the
officer in charge of banquet entertainment.

The club also held it annual awards ban-

a

take home awards: Rachel Muller won senior
judging, Junior judging went to Jessica Peters.
The award for senior record book went to Ra-'
chel Muller. Elizabeth Esau won junior record
‘book, with Tanis Place earning runner-up in
that category. William Place and Cassie
Wrepgit tied for pre-clubber record book.
The Terrace Trail Blazers Horse Club pre-

. quet. The Nov. 2 event, which took place at ,
the Kin Hut, saw a number of club members °

sented awards for junior achievement: First |
place went to Jessica Peters; Carrie Koopmans *:

elp | yh d
Many children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome go undiagnosed, thanks to the
stigma, and a lack of awareness. A new program hopes to help change that.

By JENNIFER LANG
A NEW support and outreach pro-
gram for children and families af-
fected by Fetal Alcohol Syn-
drome and related disabilities has
opened its doors in Terrace.

The main goal for this first
year of operation is to properly
assess local children for Fetal Al-
cohol Specirum Disorder, which
refers to a range of permanent
disabilities lo the fetus caused by
alcohol use during pregnancy.

Play groups for children and
support programs for their parents
and caregivers are also planned,
says coordinator Larisa Tarwick.

It’s thought about three in
1,000 people have FAS.

“In this region, they talk about
it being higher — seven or eight in
1,000,” Tarwick says.

Experts from the Asante Centre
for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome will
be coming to Terrace to do as-
sessments.

“We want to develop a team
to do assessments locally,” Tar-
wick says.

The Asante Centre, located in
Maple Ridge, B.C., offers dia-
gnostic and assessment services
and also assists communilies in
working together to prevent FAS
and support people with FAS.

It was founded by former north-
west B.C. pediatrician Dr. Kajo
Asante, a pioneer who began do-
cumenting and researching cases
while he worked in our region and
who remains at the leading edge
of the field.

__. Part of the Kermode Friendship
Society’s program’s prevention
‘strategy will include dealitiz with

. a variety of professionals in the

community, particularly in the
areas of health care and educa-
tion.

“We're trying to develop a
team approach to dealing with
fetal alcohal syndrome,” Tarwick
said.

FAS is a life-long condition,
Tarwick says.

That means people with FAS
and related disabilities will al-

LARISA TARWICK, left, and colleague Brenca Duncan complete some decorating touches in the
new, family-friendly offices of @ néw program for children with FAS and their parents.

ways need support.

“It takes a community to raise
a child and a special needs child
is reatly counting on the commun-
ity,” she says.

Right now, her main focus is to
let the community know the pro-
gram, located in the upper floor of
the Kermode Friendship Society,
is up and running.

ceive intervention and support be-
tween the ages of birth to age six
have the best chance at improving
their quality of life.

Duncan says FAS and its rela-
ted disabilities are difficult to dia-
gnose, complicating matters when
it comes to early intervention.

Many adults with, FAS were ja-
beiled as having Attention Deficit

“It takes a community to raise a child and a spe-
cial needs child is really counting on the commun-

ity.”

“It's a non-judgmental environ-
ment,” says Brenda Duncan, the
program’s outreach and support
worker.

Studies show children who re-

Disorder or Attention Deficit and
Hyperactivity Disorder as child-
ren.

That, says Duncan, can some-
times be biamed on the stigma at-

tached to FAS, which is caused
by the consumption of alcohol
during, pregnancy and is entirely
preventable, a fact that can make
families feel ashamed.

ADD and ADHD, meanwhile,
are still viewed as more socially
acceptable, which can prevent
people from getting the support
they need.

“Although we're geared to First
Nations, FAS: is. not: specific to
First Nations — it crosses all cul-
tural and = socio economic
backgrounds,” Duncan adds.
“That’s what we want parents to
know.”

The Kermode Friendship Soc-
iety hopes the year-to-year funding
will continue, allawing the pro-
gram to build and expand.

For more information, call 635-
4906,

An ‘awesome’ auction

earned second, with third place awarded to .
Samantha Koopmans.

Cultural gala planned

NON PROFIT performing arts and cultural
groups in Terrace are invited to take part in a
special celebration of the arts in honour of |
Terrace’s 75th anniversary.

The Terrace and District Arts Council is or-
ganizing a gala per-
formance evening,
says president Kim
Beaupre.

“The idea is to get
as many music
groups and cultural.
groups together and:
perform,” Beaupre
says.
Organizers would
like to see groups
like the Northwest
Singers, the Terrace *
Community Band.
and Terrace Symph-
ony Orchestra and
others share billing .
with cultural dance
groups from the,
‘First Nations, Sikh, and Filipino communities.
She'd like to hear from interested groups by
the end of this year, so there’s enough time to
plan the event, which organizers hope will
_itake place at the end of April or in May. ;
“We have a very culturally diverse com- -.
munity,” Beaupre explains. “The idea is to ce- -
"Jebrate the 75th anniversary and to have a big
-gala to celebrate the arts in the community —
“and.to have a chance for all these cultural :
groups ta show that they’re out there.” .
Any cultural group interested in performing
at the gala, which will take place at the |
‘RLE.M. Lee Theatre, is asked to contact
_ Beaupre at 638-0131 or Aron at 638-8884.

Art gallery’s mural.

AN ADDED note to last week’s Bi story on: »
the downtown mural contest that should have -
‘been’ included: The wall mural project is the
Terrace Art Gallery’s contribution to Terrace’s
‘75th anniversary celebrations in 2003.

“

THE CHAIR of this year’s Terrace Rotary auction is
-happy with (he amount of money that’s been raised.
Randy Smith said the »
‘Nov. 2 and 3 auction
brought in approximately
$40,000 before expenses,
which is close to auction
. averages of past years. Last
year’s winning bids repre-
sented 69 per cent of the
donated value of items and
services. “This year we
were at 70 per cent,” he
said. “It doesn’t sound like
much of an increase, but in
these economic times
we're experiencing, | think
it’s awesome.”
This year’s auction fea-
_ tured mere items compared
to previous years but were
of a lower donated value.
That actually worked in
the auction’s favour, Smith added, because bidders
« keeping an eye on lheir expenses could bid on more
items and make their bids closer to the donated value.

Randy Smith

BOOK WORMS: Manpreet Jawanda, a Grade 3 student at ET. Kenney, set-
tles dawn with a good book. Students read 2,395 books in three weeks.
Money raised goes toward a variety of projects. A

Ri ead | Nn g pa rly U n if es wheelchair ramp for access to the library has just been -{"
E.T. Kenney School 7" "rr |

Scholar wins Premier’s award

A TERRACE high school graduate who hopes to hecome “4
+ a medical doctor picked up a medal of excellence and a
: $5,000 scholarship at a recent ceremony in Vancouver .

Leah Malo, who graduated from Caledonia Senior
‘ Secondary this spring, is one of 15 post secondary stu-
‘ dents who have received the Premier's Excellence.
* Award this year,

The medal of recognition and scholarship to a B,C.
‘college, university or institute, is bestowed on recipients
-based on their academic achievement during high school
‘and for outstanding service to their communities and

Kim Beaupre

school, including arithmetic,

“We like to make learning fun,” said -
Springer, who was temporarily posing as
a black Stetson-wearing cow girl.

The entire schoo! helped organize the ~
event. Students made their own cowboy °
hats and worked on projects.

This was ihe first major event at the
school since the start of the current
school year.

The school’s Parent Advisory Council
has elected three co-chairs this year;
Tracy Feldhaver from the former Parkside schools.

PAC, Sasa Loggin from last year’s E.T.:; Malo, a University of British Columbia student, is
Kenney PAC and Liza Haldane, who re- ‘.currently working on her bachelor of science degree.

‘presents First Nation parents. There are .; The Premier’s Excellence Award isn’t her: only scho-
new employees this year, too. _ larship. She also received mare than $3,000 in local

“This is the first major.event.we've ‘scholarships at the spring convocation ceremony; an
worked on as a combined staff and a joint ‘. $1,800-scholarship from the Rotary Club of ‘Terrace, a
parent group,” Springer said. “I think it’s © ‘$500: BEST’ award from McDonald's 8, >and the Miller
teally helped wiify the school.” ; Thompson award of $1,000,

EAGER kids dressed up like cowboys an
piled into the gym at E.T. Kenney Pri-
mary last week for the school’s annual
reading round-up — its first since merging
with Parkside Elementary.

Every teacher took part, as did many
parents, who were invited to join the fes-
tivities Nov. 28, school principal Sue
Springer said. Surprise guest Clifford. the
dog also dropped by.

The round-up is the final event in the
school’s Fail reading blitz, a literacy-in-
spired program with a Wild West theme.

Once goat challenged the students to
read 1,000 books in just three weeks.
They read a total of 2,395 books, Springer
‘noted proudly.

_ Students and their families were also
encouraged to read at home.

The western theme was also incorpora-
ted into other learning activities at the

eos , tere

4

t