TERRACE STANDARD. INSIDE SECTION B COMMUNITY CRIS LEYKAUF 638-7283 EVENTS B2 .. AT-THE LIBRARY... SHEELAGH MEIKLEM Why are roses a symbol of love? ROUNDHOG DAY has been and gone: we were told he did not sec his shadow so Spring is on the way, This raised questions in my mind. February 2 in Terrace was a lovely sunny day. Where was the groundhog? Probably in New- foundland, 1 thought as I began intensive re- search into the matter. In actual fact, the North American groundhog resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania at Gob- bler’s Knob, where he has been making weather predictions since 1887 with approximately 20% accuracy. All this is based on a medieval superstition that all hibernating animals came out on Cand- lemas Day to check on the weather. Each coun- try has adapted the animal to suit themselves. I discovered this information in a book called Holidays, Festivals and Celebrations of the World Dictionary compiled by Sue Ellen Thompson. In this book you can find tidbits on every special day all over the world. Another book of fascinating facts is by the National Ge- ographic Society: Everyday Science Explained — a coffee table book full of photographs, The Hlustrated- Book of Signs & Symbols by Miranda Bruce-Mitford is a visual dictionary of thousands of signs and symbols. Here we can learn why the red rose is the flower of love and why the snake is a sign of evil in the West and a sign of wisdam in China, This book also cxplains the origins of Valentine’s Day, It was originally known as the “birds'wedding day’? due to an old belief that birds selected their mates on that day, People then followed suit and made it a day for declara- lions of Jove. Birds and other animals play a large part in the folklore of all nations, as can be scen in bvo childrens’ books: Raven-Who-Seis-Things- Right, Indian Tales of the Northwest Coast, relold by Fran Martin and A Book of Magic Animals by Ruth Manning-Sanders. Zoo of the Gods by Anthony Mercatante is a scholarly study of asiimals in myth, legend aud fable. If you want to know if kissing spreads germs or if you could die of a broken heart, then Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever by Carol Ann Rinzler is a dictionary of medical folklore that exposes the truth or lack of it in hundreds of ald wives tales. For a more tongue in cheek approach try a book by Joel Achenbach: Why Things Are and Why Things Aren't. This one is for all of you who have always wondered why Napoleon kept his hand tucked inside his vest. If you want to know if kissing spreads germs or if you could die of a broken heart, then Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever by Caral Ann Ringler is a dictionary of medical folklore that exposes the truth or lack of it in hundreds of old wives tales. The Rituals of Dinner by Margaret Visser is a fascinating book about the origins, evolution, eccentricities and meaning of table manners. These have changed over the years: one of the table rules of Erasmus stated was, “If with your elbow you wipe off the snivel, no man alive shall be esteem’d more civil!’’ A current folklorist is Jan Harold Brunvald who has collected modem urban legends in his book Curses! Broiled Again, This includes the famous poudle in the microwave legend that was Invented by a sociologist at an Eastern uni- versity who wanted to sec how long it would take for the stary to reach Califomial Folk legends are deep in the bones of Angela Biwaban, an Anishinabe princess on the run ina mystery scrics by J.F. Trainor, Despite the fact thal several states have warrants for her arrest on various charges, she manages to stay onc slep ahead of the law and solve all the murders that cross her path. High Country Murder, Corona Blue and Dynamite Pass are. titles in this series and can be found on the paperback racks at your ticarest library! ei PE SoAE S to sta PATRICK WATSON want rt up a singles club. He’s arranged a fun bo se wi. ing night as the first event and invites singles in their 20's to 40's or so to come down and give it a try. A NEW SOLARIUM at Terraceview Lodge was built in memory of resident Sophie Poppe. She loved to garden and to sit by the window sald close friend Donna Ziegler and residential care director Doris Mitchell. New solarium for Terraceview A BEQUEST made five years ago to Terraceview Lodge has resulted in a new solarium for residents to enjoy. Sophie Poppe died in 1991, and bequeathed $11,000 to Terraceview. She had no other family, ex- plained close friend Donna Ziegler at a recent dedica- tion ceremony, Poppe had married in 1932 to John Poppe, but the marriage was shortlived. The couple assisted Jews to freedom and in 1940 were captured and separated, Until her death Poppe had the taltoo from the con- centration camp. She was badly beaten, and her head was permanently misshapen. She alone of her entire family survived the experience. Poppe immigrated to Canada in 1954, moving to Terrace in 1965 to work as.a nurse. ‘Her patients and her friends were her family,’’ said Ziegler. Poppe retired in 1975 to pursue a love of gardening, and in 1990 she came to live at Ferraceview, where she resided for two years until her death. Because she “‘loved flowers and loved to sit by the window,’ said residential care director Doris Mitchell, staff decided to build a solarium with her bequest, Fe The rest of the money for the solarium came from a - ‘donation from the iegion and from operating funds. THERE’S A hit of a greenish hue around Verilas school these days. Veritas recently became a Green School, after having students complete 100 environmental projects. Veritas joins over 4,000 other Canadian schools participating in this Green school program, So far about 1,200 schools have reached the top goal. Sponsored through a non-profit foundation, the program began in 1990 and encourages students to become environmen- lally aware by getting the whole school involved. Students take part in projects that cither let others know about ways to protect the environ- ment or directly enhance the environment. Each project is logged in a book, and each class gets a door lag to recog- nize the work students have done. After 20 projects are completed, a bronze status is awarded to the school, Recognition Is given al various levels until the school reaches the ultimate goal of 100 projects. Three years ago the grade seven. class at Veritas completed the school’s first project — encouraging paper recy- cling and using juice jugs to reduce garbage, Grade five students just recently finished project 100 by going to the grade six class to talk ahout pol- lution. The theme of student involvement carried through into the assemb- ly, where the school was awarded a Green School Banner for its efforts. Grade seven students conducted the whole event, describing various projects through -short . specches and skits, . Striking idea leaves | fun to spare IF YOU DON’T like going to the bar, and don't belong to a church, then it can pretty difficult to mect someone in a lown the size of Terrace, That’s the reason why Patrick Watson decided it was worlh risking embarrassment to start a singles club here. A 35-year-old accountant seems like an unlikely candi- dale for such a venture, but Watson says he’s thought about il for a while and with the support of Criends figures, why not? Ta get things underway he’s planning a fun bowling night, from 8 pm. to midnight. All singles are invited to come out, perhaps bring a friend and try bowling with the wrong hand or even bowling backwards. “IVIL be a great equalizer,” he says. Even good bowlers should be hard pressed to do well. Watson thinks bowling will be a fun and uon-threatening way for people to get to know each other. About 20 of his single friends and acquaintances are going to be coming, and be’s hoping at least another 20 people will show up. Watson has lived in Terrace for five years, and says he dropped by a meeting of a previous singles club once be- fore. “Everyone was at least 60 plus,’’ he says, shaking his head at the memory of older women wondering why young people never came back for a second meeting. While he isn’t pulting any age limits on the club, be’s hoping it will appeal to people in their 20’s lo 40's. Being single and in your 30's or 40’s used to mean you were a bit of a social oddity. Now Watson thinks there’s less of a stigma involved. “‘T just want to bring people together to have fun,’' The fun bowling night takes place from 8-midnight on Saturday, March 15, Cost is $10 a person, which Watson hopes will come close to the cost of renting the bowling al- ley, For more information, give him at call at 638-1135 or Kathy Corbett at 638-8323. ' Students help environment DRESSED AS A garbage monster, James Papais recounts the stary of how his school helped make the garbage monster go away. c) The hit of the assembly was a grade live student who came in dressed in a garbage bag with bits of. litter glued to him, drag- ging a string of pop cans. He related the terrifying Slory of the garbage monster who disappeared as people started to pick - up garbage. Awareness of the harm littering does to the en- vironment has made a big difference to students, Some have even picked up garbage at other schools, and are disgusted by peaple who casually toss lilter on the ground.