eo ee ee INSIDE - : COMMUNITY EVENTS B2 "CHARLYNN TOEWS House guests are... "Il tell you something you might not know: it’s so nice when company comes to visit and it’s 80 nice when they go. First, let’s examine why it is indeed so nice to have company staying over. Starting before the visit proper, there is the sweet anticipation. This might be the best part of all, This is before the manic, last-minute cleaning starts. You think, Oh, good. They’re coming here, oh this is gonna be greal. We can talk for hours without paying long distance. I'l] make that recipe for her. I will show him the garden in detail, and we will discuss it thoroughly. I will show off — what? T’il show them something they will like and can’t see anyplace else in the uni- verse, my place, Oh, sweet anticipation. Then there is the visit itself. It’s not quite as anticipated. You show them something you think will make them go, "Wow!" but they say “Aaah." What, no wow? Now what? But also when you expect them to say, "Mmhmm," they say, "I am glad I can see your life, I’m glad to be part of your life." Wo. Now what? Someone once told me a jong long time ago that it’s good to have company over for ~ an extended visit. That; way, she said, you" have time for both the fight and the resolv- ing of it. If the company just comes for a short visit, she said, then you just have time for the fight and you have to make up on the phone later. And the phone can take so long. That’s what she said, and I agree. Then there is the leaving time, when the company goes away. Oh, parting is such sweet sorrow! It is too heart-wrenching to even think about having to soon say good- bye to someone who should preferably live four blocks away. A hostess under such circumstances might find herself desperate- ly driving too much or cooking too much and unwilling to discuss departure, dis- tance, the end of a thing, the ridiculous "Take care! Take care!" shouted at an air- borne airpiane or a shifting track pulling away. Oh, if only you could think of the right nag to shout at them as they leave to keep them safe. Oh me, oh my oh. The there’s the day after the company is gone. Whoo! Hello, my kitchen, how have you been? Good morning, my bathroom, you look different somehow. Oh, now I see it. No Strange toothbrushes or ointments or odd thingies here and there. Great to see you back in form. Then there is the day after the day after they leave. The house is changed again, with space which seemed reclaimed yester- day seeming to be merely empty today. And, interestingly enough, it is also true that wherever you roam, it’s so good to get away and it’s oh-so-gaod to get back home. Let’s discuss why it’s so good to get away. A whole bunch of peapie stop bug- ging you. You know the way some people keep bugging you and asking you questions and expecting responses and just never shut up. If you won't leave, I will, you can think as you head out on the highway. Lookin’ for adventure! Then you finally get there and it’s great. Peace at last. Then you pop in to see someone, or even to stay over, So relaxing, nice yard, so far away from home. No one bugging you, But then your hosts start asking you ques- tions, expecting responses. They put ketch- up on eggs and mayonnaise on everything. They think everyone should eat porridge in the moming every morning, give you the hardest bed in the western hemisphere, and think "Punching Bag" is a good game for you to play with the rug rats. That’s why it’s so good to get home: here is where the towels are, it makes. sense. This is the news to watch, not that. Back to normal, everyone bugging you, It’s like I said, it’s so nice when company comes to visit and it’s so nice when they _ go. It’s so good to get away and It’s oh-so- good to get back home, So it’s all good. SECTION B 638-7283 Terrace teacher helps African girls THORNHILL ELEMENTARY = School teacher Mary Steeves has bought a one-way ticket to Africa and she doesn't know when she’ll be back, She's never been to Kenya before, and she doesn’t speak Swahili, but Steeves is gung-ho about making a difference in the education of young women. Steeves is doing volunteer work for The Canadian Harambee — Education Socicly (CHES), which provides scholarships for teenage girls in Kakamega, Kenya so they can attend highschool. “‘The scholarships are for intelligent, ambitious girls who can’t afford to go to school otherwise,” she said, In Kenya, elementary school is free, but it costs $360 to send a child to highschool, And because the average annual income in Kakamega is only about $300, very few children — girls especially —- get to further their education, When a family can afford to send a child to school, normally boys are sent since woman traditionally — slay MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Terrace's Ma work for The Canadian Harambee Educ highschool. She will be responsible for for most of the year, ry Steeves is leaving for Kenya, Africa September 16 to do volunteer ation Society, which sponsors young girls sa they can afford to go to organizing which girls get sponsorships, When the girls are at school Steeves will travel around the country and explore African culture. home to take care of the family. Steeves is leaving her job aid family here because she wants to make a difference in girls’ lives. “T really feel that the edu- cation of girls is critical to girls themselves and to sociely in general,’’ said Steeves. “I want women to be among the leaders of the - mt Re CaaEEC: future,”’ ; Working as an agent for CHES, Steeves will act as an intermediary between the saciety and the girls. That means she’ll chose the applicants’ from the hundreds of girls applying for CHES sponsorships, and she'll write out the socicty’s cheques." > “The money goes directly to the highschool and to the girl’s tuition, room, board sponsors — including a pic- ture and their report card — and keeping their marks up are interested in sponsoring a student for $360 a year or making a donation for any BS, 5 and her uniform,'’ she said, to par. amount for books and “Administrative costs are | CHES is a Canadian non- equipment, contact CHES at covered by raffles and spe- profit, non-sectarian, and 446 Kelly Street, New cial fund-raisers,”’ . non-political organization Westminster, B.C. V3L 3T9 In return for their scholar- Ships, girls are responsible for writing letters to their ZT dedicated to helping young women succeed academical- ly. If individuals or Rroups: or call 604-521-3416. The society’s ¢-mail address is lotriew@rogers.wave.ca. Marriage commissioner hangs up her gown — AFTER MARRYING 736 couples, you'd think Linda Harris would be sick of ‘I do’s’?’ and gold rings, But not this marriage commissioner, She's retiring this month not because she’s sick of marrying Terrace’s lovebirds, bul because after 15 years she'd like to slow down and enjoy her weekends with her husband at Lakelse Lake. “‘T've always looked at my job as a form of giving to the community,” she said. “‘ give up my weekends especially in the summer,” This July and August alone she'll marry 30 couples. Last Saturday she dashed around to do five weddings in a row. But, giving is a part of Harris’ life, She and her husband served as Salvation Army Captains (prison chaplains) for 10 years in Ontario, Alberta and B.C, before moving to Harris going for so many years. “They’re stressful, they’re happy, they’re emotional,” she said describing both the actual ceremony and the bride and groom. Marriage commissioners are paid $50 for each wedding. Harris said it isn’t a lot of money considering rehearsals, preparation, travelling time and the actual ceremony, which takes approximately 20 minutes. Harris doesn’t marry people for the money. She says she loves her job simply because it’s a fun thing to do. She’s married people on a raft on Lakelse Lake (the couple dove into the water after-- ward), on Trapper Mountain in the middle of winter (they snowmobiled up there), on top of Thornhill Mountain (she was helicoptered up), in barns, on horseback, in restaurants and pubs, in churches, and prac- tically in every park in the cily. NO MORE WEDDINGS: Lind a Harris, Terrace’s mar- riage commisstoner, is retiring after 15 years of mar- rying Terrace's sweethearts, She's martied whole families —- and some couples she’s married twicel Terrace 15 years ago. nervous tension is tiring.” Gang of Katimavik THEY’RE YOUNG, STRONG, and will- ing to work for communily service projects in Terrace for nothing. The Katimavik program and its 33 partic- ipating young people aged 17 to 21 will be in and out of town starting September 23 to lend Terrace helping hands. Kalimavik provides a way for youths from across Canada to gain volunteer wark experience while traveliing across the coun- ry. The program lasts eight months and groups get to live and work in three dif- ferent towns, “'The purpose is to expose them to a vari- ety of experiences,’’ said Sheila Creighton, Katimavik project development coor- dinator. ‘“They'll be working on social de- velopment skills and theyll be getting a better understanding of Canadian life."’ The Innu word Katimavik means “meet- ing place,’” And that’s what Terrece and other designated towns will be for these young volunteers. The program also means hard work, Tasks ahead for the groups.coming to Ter- race inchide: helping the Terrace Women's ‘Resource Centre plan and coordinate a chil- dren’s spring festival, building a warming volunteers coming hut on Onion Lake Flats cross country ski trails and helping the Terrace Child Devel- opment Centre with its preschool program and working with special needs children. Also on their “‘to do lists’’ are: con- structing a trail system and benches around the edge of town, assisting the Terraceview . Lodge with its recreation programs for senioss, helping the Anti-Poverty Group with surveys, and minding children and fund-raising for Paces Daycare. Each group of youths will live in a house in Terrace under the supervision of project leader Kim MacIntyre, who will arrive here later this month, She'll be jooking for a home to rent from September 1998 to June 1999 and visiting work sponsors to organize projects. Olber areas in B.C. and the Yukon partic- ipating in the program include Whitehorse, ‘Courtney, Homby Island, Victoria, Mission and Abbotsford. The Katimavik Youth program is funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage. Participating youths are paid $3 a day and $1000 upon. completion of their eight ‘month program. The Katimavik. organiza- lion covers the cost of the youths’ food, transportation and lodging, “T get pretty tired. While I enjoy it, the It’s that emotional tension that’s kept “It’s always been a pleasure to share in somebody’s wedding,"’ she said. Marriage is one of the most important things in peoples’ lives,’’ - Around Town Quit smoking program Tired of smoking? The Fresh Start Quit Smoking Program caa help you quit. Meetings will be once a weck for 8 weeks starting September 9 to October 28 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m, The program costs $50 per person or $75 per couple. For more information or to register call Alice at 638-2200. The meetings are sponsored by The Canadian Cancer Society, Learn Origami Anyone interested in learning Origami (paper fold- ing) is invited to join Karen Friday, August 21 at the Terrace library at 7 p.m. Paper is provided. Ideas are welcome, For more information call Karen at 638- 6398, Thank you I would like to give a big thank you to the TORA and all the volunteers that made the Riverboat Drags pos- sible. Every year it just gets better. Your community’s involvement is refreshing to see. For one day organizers and volunteers helped turn a highway into s full-fledged racetrack. This is no casy task, and organizers did a first-rate job, I’m already looking for- ward to next year's event. Thank you, Rick Stewart.