ae, ht Se ead tat eee {not the individuals’ real ones. : ‘volved. The events were recorded and written up by Social rvices and Housing ministry workers with the. Consent, i, after reading Sally” 5 ‘story, readers want io ‘learn hate’ : . about foster parenting, they. « ean’ contact: the. ministry at - a 638-3527. : "a following true story is offered about the experiences of one on .@hild. who énded up in foster care... i For reasons. of confidentiality, the. hames:in the story are Sally, grew. up i in a ‘family a _-of five; her: parents and a . ‘younger brother and sister... ~ When she. was in junior >. | * high school, she came undéer.°°™' ‘the’ ministry’s. care ‘fora. "number. of. family-related mas _. endless. hotieymoon, : chugg-. reasons; |. Sally stayed. with’ ‘vélatives a ‘first, then family friendsand. was finally: placed. with a: foster family with whom she ~~ . Femained for. four and a half years : oe Because’ ‘Sally. ‘chew. het _ relatives: and family friends, “she experiencéd no adjust-— ment, problems .with them. * However, going.to a foster | . family was.very. different... Sally remembers that first day vividly: she felt scared. It — was all the unknowns. Who _ were these people, ‘what were “they like, who else would be _ there, what would theit lives. " be like, . how old were “they, = a hy was eee fier, te , what were their occupations |. outside the home, w would they: a aaa a phism j setting “brought cS i Ajusthents. “She. felt." strange, ‘fealizing that nothing °. there _ belonged’ to her... rece ‘On that: first, day, Sally ar- : ‘rived when Jennifer;. her new’ fosté -mottier, was at work. She’ found herself, sitting in tay, ‘in bed and not - knowing ‘what -to. say. The - ; “silence: was deafening.” ys Jennifer waltzed in with a’* ° friend just after 10 p.m. ta be: ; Sally, anxious. to.. . they were just. acting . Sistency,. she was- always © room: “with ‘foster ~, “the: couple's -* “Sally had. come + from’ an: environment of constant yell- « ing and friction;: "AS 8 result; [eo sf the: ‘Tt-was as if they were 0 an. ing, . kissing and” saying : positive things to each. other, : She wondered. when. it ‘was - ‘going to.end and when the: real actions would begiti, --. From’ the - beginning she was treated as one of: ‘the’ family, There was no incon: treated the same. OS Because of her’ long. stay’ there and the deep, positive: loving relationship that \ developed, Sally sees’ the. foster family as her own. . The children are her sibl- ings. and the extended family. of: grandfather and gtand- father belong to her as‘well: : Wher’ “ school boyfriend, the foster ° family took a major. ig ¢. it she married-her high, the: wedding , preparat ions -along-with the groom's: fami a oe F ‘Sally. niowsebet: her.zin family after a diffi eat 10: Some family, members 1 ,Years.. ”” “have nothing to do with her, . others-are very supportive. .- When’ Sally. looks. back: on. her “experience: ‘of “leaving: home and living in care, she believes it helped make her a better person. It was valuable ‘for her to see another way of living and have andiher pat- _ tem to: follow. ne She saw pos tive meth to. problem solving and. ‘her ~ Own: home, :: with husband Ted; is patterned after. her foster family. She has a ‘dif- ferent “outlook on life. and ‘vu frequently has her sister over ‘to stay on weekends so’ ‘she Sally wasn’t sure what ad: tial... : of those In- |.) family turn against her. . "around, she had to adapt to ~” because,’ ‘they iwi at first, foster: children shouldn’t be afraid. ° To. social’. ‘workers, ‘she underlined the importance of « Aull epltiaie whit Is ina Wag: becai use once. she” ‘had. tag ee ‘dronped’ ‘Off, she felt. ‘totally. abandonned.. 1. ‘Bven though she made itie’ choice, to leave her natural: - ' family; Sally talked of howit ‘meant - “new life: ‘and “new had ripped ‘at her heart..No matier'what, your family i is your family and your loyity’ . and .all.. that is familiar re- mains. with them. The wo! “part was leaving. her brother and sister: -and ‘having her. ’ When ‘special: days: camé “new traditions: The’ foster family made birthdays a can experience another. “way ia. of living too. an oe ‘want! to: help: . 7 special for - And while it:would:be- scary : Sally is. deeply" "'coincernied for her brother and: sister. _ She says-the value system a her : _ parents: now follow is even - “ Warse than when she'was'liv- . a ing there: 10 years Aga,. Now... anything goes aud thé fearsit “another * “model, | then ahé: . “could get into-a worse situa-. - tion than Sally did herself. It changed ‘her view: of. herself: and-of, the. : gained ‘self-respect and ability: to stand: [ ‘from: high school,’ "married, sphe doesnt help her sister:see p:for ‘courage; Sally hai raduated 1 wishing to citer 8 float can mr phone Becta erybody. loves a parade, it’s said, : ‘and t at Tetracites judging. ‘by the.number who th 1 for the Riverboat. Days event.: ‘$6. why hot, have a. Caritas one compl Tooke like the: ‘project is.a to. lepartment, R.C.M.P. ‘Suggesting the event would be soinething both children. aid 7 also. offer something different: for local youngsters.;.. “Tf council approves the. proposal — likely next week. -would take: place Saturday, Dec. 7. begirining. at: int from the Public library: Current a Sia La it:to ead By Se intéréited n learning + more. 2 about. the paid or at 635-2546, ‘ tomdrrow night at Northwest. Community, College. Bom. in. California, raised in’ the Canadian. Roc! now a resident of coastal B.C., Bringhurst: has made a life- -_Jong’study of native cultures throughout North America. He [- ~ has-also. turned his attention to the Orient. and. | Bwopean, - Glastics. ing at’? p.m. in-the seminar room of Northwest Cotntmunity Tee $ Lenring. Resource Centre: pion : <] Gominittee. With a lot of invitations still:to\ go Outs she: was q a optimistic that figure could be‘at least. doubled: : rae ‘obert: ‘Bringhurst,. the ‘author ofa number of: -books. and § jwinner | of the.1985 CBC poetry prize, will be giving a reading 4 af retfeld éaid as of last, week five odvanitations/ tisincsses : | ad already indicated they would take part including the local“ : “adults that are.kids at heart!” would enjoy,:she said it wou d strange environment, * vice to give to people involv- vacuuming the stairs... -ed._ but emphasized to foster > Patient : Jennifer’s reaction was to. © phrents ‘the need to-treat’ Available - ‘say, “Wow! Ef you work like ~~ children-in-care as their own, Ridiculous _ this, you'can stay.” This was never making them feel. dif- _Endearing © followed. by a midnight feed: - ferent. :. Nutty .- Of Chinese food and talking” ‘ To. “children-ini-care, “she » Tender - tal 2am. stressed the need to respect Stupendous Judy Gillis likes to say she has “15,000 sisters. , She'd: also. like to have ‘even J more. Neither statement is surpris: -ing’ when -ydu ‘realize Gillis is. "Supreme Honoured Royal Lady (national: president) of. _ the: o ‘Royal Purple. , ‘tend a dinner meeting of the “focal Royal Purple and meet its. ‘embers -as well’as those from : Gillis was here last wetk to. at- neighbouring, communitles.who ‘tiavelled. ‘to. Terrace for the ‘event. . i, “tunity. to ‘offer: encouragement “80° ‘members. and ‘leave them . "feeling good about who they are “and: what: they: do.’” That last, “ghe: explained, is the-tentral. ‘message in the motto: she. has adopted for her year in office - = case of the Terrace bratich, Pride in Royal Purples. “With a ‘long: and. impressive ‘record of: donating money to worthy causes at both a-local “and. natlonal, tevel, Gillis said” ‘Royal Purple: members - have 3 good reasoti to: be proud. _ That certainly applied it ‘Her visit was ‘alz0 an ‘oppor-. donation of $1,000 to the local arthritis campaign as just one example of the work it does. Gillis said one question she liked to ask municipal leaders she met was, ‘What would your * community. be like without the Royal Purple and Elks (its male counterpart)?”* ae And). she pointed. out, it didn't take much’ thought on the ‘part, “OF those. leaders’ to realize jects the two had. made possible or the number of local groups - they‘had: been’ able to help. -. “Those charity dollars are _important,"" she emphasized, -*particularly with the amount -af: (government) health care dollars declining.” - | Aowever, ‘membets are need- ed, if that.work is'to continue ‘and Gillis ‘conceded the Royal “Purple, ‘Hike-all auch organiza.” tions at the moment, had its © membership problems, ’ _ She saw hope for a reversal, though. ‘Suggesting the: days of the “Me! soclety. were 60 to af end, she said more‘pedple “were: becoming ‘family-oriented .. leading to a greater need ‘to, ber -ypart ‘of an organization,: oa . It's not: only soclety ‘that has” changed, either, The Royal Pur-" _ The Royal’ Purple aie ib oe societies, pariameniary a ‘ple has too with a shortening of the ritualistic Work: which form |. a part of its meetings and. a move towards more: joint : meetings with the Ellis, '). Pert ee oe ot ta ec Judy Gillis hails from ; Moosomin, Sask., a farming ; community: of: :2,800 “just 10. ; miles from the. ‘Saskatchewan- . Manitoba border, ©" 7) Her membership of the Royal - % Purple began. in 1962 when'a..[[ - friend took her ta the inaugral meeting of a lodge being farmed in a neighbouring commuihity,:° ’ Not only . did''she leave the .: -ghe: -algo. meeting -a:: cinember} : found herself holding the poai- tion of Honoured Royal Lady” : {HRL), or president. Since’ then, she has helped a form a Royal Purple branch.tn . Moosomin’ in which she twite held the HR's chair-and Served “ at- the. Royal Purple’s national convention In Edmonton this past July, Gillis jokes she'll "Become a has-been’! at: next vert. North Bay convention. ~ as “immediate past.” ovenldenie ‘she will be ‘helping | -- in a number of capacities on the organization’ s national commlt- tes. : u. a Elected toa one year term as : Supreme Honoured Royal Lady - : her successor as much as she can» u tig Siena Mall, Alloa Pre “by passing on.the benefit of her’; . i while in that halt, “APPEARING HERE soon will be the Judith Marcuse’ Dance Company. The modern dance troupe -will per- “4. form the new and highly acclaimed Tales From.the » sored by-the Terrace and District Arts Council, the:pere formance. will take place at the R,E,M. -Léee Theatre; Saturday . Nov. 2) beginning. ‘at’ ‘8. ‘p.m: “Tieket . vavallable at: Erwin's Jewelers: in the Skeen of th will ‘oinly be 10 otis ¥ “pojential sponsors are being advised to. grab The deadline for entries is Jan. 10, 1992... ; ‘be the event’s tenth. anniversary, ‘To: mark: the ‘occasion, “organizers are planning ‘to include a ‘reunton at all past wit ners. . : ‘Miss erraces., Xf you can help there, ecatact the coramlttes care of 400-4741 Lakelse Ave. ; rage Labrary.. . ‘ : - There i aly one other way people can, elf the co ee, i hy lending it a flat deck: arate fiat deck utility ie ee tt ‘ean ‘enter a float in the Christmas Parade belng plarined by . Vaudeville Stage (above), Family, and ‘Traces, Spon-. ‘ “The 1992 pageant will also be a special . one because It el wall 7 wee aoe) hile ahdeaee neat atedert ae ae ff “Fo do that, however, they. need current aitresaes tor past = ae “That's also the address for: sponsors to send thelr entries — the cost is $500. He -