: EVENTS B2_

INSIDE
“COMMUNITY

BOOKING IN |.
PETER HEPBURN

Get with
the program

ARLIER TODAY as I. was

Sauteeing leeks to mix into

mashed potatoes for a Christmas

potiuck, it occurred to me that

this column would not be printed until after
Christmas.

With that in mind then, I will wish that

you had a fulfilling holiday, each in your

own manner, We may now look forward to.

the New Year. Doubtless 1996 will be as

promising and challenging as all the years .

gone by.
And now that the potatoes are devoured

and the warm and fuzzy television specials -

have given way to monotonous hours -of
college bowls, what do you do? Eat more?
Put up decorations for Groundhog Day? Go
to the library?

What? You say you don’t use the library!
Should I be all that surprised?

Now and then I do encounter people wha

do not use the facility. I've even heard

people compare their non-use of it to their
non-use of the arena. That being the case,

the tibrary expansion was a ‘fortunate elec-: |

torial result indeed.

It: ‘galls me, though, that anyone ‘should
take a’ perverse pride in not visiting the
place. Do they really expect me to con-
gralulate them? Instead, I’d like to sit them
down with a good (or even lousy) book and
dare them to grasp its value.

The, library, you must understand, needs
your patronage. It needs a lot more than
that, to be sure: a budgeting increase, a
book-theft prevention system, air condition-
ing... 1 think you may have heard those
ones before.

Our reason for existence, however, is to
meet a broad and varied need in the com-
munity,

i dare you, the non-users, to
visit the library in the New Year.
Not once, not twice. | dare you to
come in once a month.

The circulation of materials out of the build-
ing is only one part of our commitment. Figures
for 1995 have not yet been compiled but the
projected total of approximately 195,000 items
circulated is not a significant increase over
1994, What the 1995 projection docs represent
is a bit better than ten items per person in the
Terrace area, nineteen or so per cardholder. This
is a higher rate than in Kitimat or Prince Rupert.

The number of reference questions is also re-

_ corded, T have no figures as I write this, but
- more would certainly not hurt.

~ And then there is.. in- library use... Im-
“measurable, This, perhaps, is our most vital
‘« function. Reference books or new periodicals,
> pamphlets and even meeting space — ail play a
‘Partin this regard.

_, Of course, it may be that I am preaching to the
“converted, that the only people to read this

». column are already library patrons. If that is the

" case, pass the column along to a friend, or an
‘enemy, who does not take advantage of our ser-
vices.

_I dare you, the non-users, to visit the library in
the New Year, Not once, not twice. I dare you
to come in once a month, It's a big step, I real-
ize, but it really is rather paintess, When you
come in, get yourself a library card. Sign out a
book, and enjoy it.

T want to look back one year from now and
recognize an increase in circulation and’ in
membership.

I do my part after all, I even pay for my all to .

frequent overdues,
To the rest of you who do regularly visit the

library, my thanks, I urge you to continue, but

more So,

Tertace, gird your loins and set your resolve.
The library is the place to be in 1996, For those

unaware, get with the program.

“TERRACE STANDARD

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The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, Decernber:27, 1995 - B1 .

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THE TERRACE KINSMEN | are organizing the fifth annual
Kermode Bear Swim on New Year's Day, to raise money for their
rehabilitation fund. This photo was taken a few years ago.

IF . You’ RE looking for a
breath-taking way to leap into
the New Year, than the Ter-
race Kinsmen have a great
idea,

They’re holding their 5th an-
nual Kermode Bear Swim at
Lakelse Lake on January 1.

“It looks like we'll probably
have to cut a hole in the ice
this year,’”’ said organizer
Bruce Martindale.

About 30 people showed up
last year to shed their parkas
for swimsuits.

. “quick, ** said Martindale, ‘‘It’s

“You're ‘in and out pretty

refreshing 10 say the least,” he
said of his experience.

The point of all this isn’t just
to shed the last of that New.
Year’s Eve champagne which
you might have overindulged
in. It’s to collect pledges to
help raise money for the Kins-
men Rehabilitation Fund. -

The money stays in the pro-
vince to do research for
devices ‘to help paraplegics
and quadriplegics. One such
device to help quadriplegics

fund

Organizers think they'll probably have to cut a hole in the ice

again this year.

communicate ‘is in the patent

_ Stage right now. 2.
~ Last year’s Kermode Bear

swim raised approximately
$3,000 for the rehabilitation
and. organizers are
hopin g for the same this year.

Would-be human. popsicles

. can pick up pledge sheets at

Skeena Broadcasters, Just the
thought of how funny it will
.be to watch a friend or relative
jump into icy waters should be
enough to make people practi-
cally throw their money at

It'll knock your. socks off

- you... as
’ After’ their’ dip, ‘swimmers

will be warmed. up with cof-.”
fee, hot chocolate and donuts”
at the lake, Then. participants

‘are. off to. the Mount. Layton .

Hot. ‘Springs: “for. a. cOM= |
plimentary hot soak...
If, like most people, - you :

“have trouble diving into water

that’s barely ‘above. freezing,
you might want to come down:
and cheer participants on.

Swimmers will be ‘at the
Lakelse Picnic Site’ between
12:45-1:30 p.m.

Birders counted Boxing Day

MOST PEOPLE spend

Boxing Day resting on the:

couch, their stomachs still
recovering from the Christmas
dinner onslaught,

But a few others prefer to
venture outdoors to take part
in a North American tradition
practically as old as Christmas
fruitcake.

That’s the annual Audubon
Society Christmas bird count.

This year is the 96th year of |

the bird count, though in Ter-
race the tradition never caught
on until 1963.

Diane Weismiller organized
the event this year, and has
been involved with the bird

count since 1971.

‘Anybody at any level
can participate,” ex-
plains Welsmilier. “You
don’t have to be an ex-
pert. Even if you only
know one or two
species that’s okay.”’

“We usually get a dozen or
so people out every year,” she.
says. Last year the weather
was particularly mild, and just

under twenty people signed up .

for the count.
This year’s counters ‘joined

tite than 44,000 ‘People

across the world. -

eas (ae ‘counting - “birds | in ‘the,
7 winter, ‘rather than the sutn-°
omer, strikes you as odd, there

terday's bird count.

BIRD ENTHUSIASTS were out in forca yesterday,
bird count. This Stellar Jay is B.C.'s bird, anda nu

taking part in the North American wide holiday
mber of his species were likely tallled up In yes-

is a good reason behind the
timing.

On Christmas day in the year
1900, 27. conservationists de-
cided to protest the traditional

bird shoot, and instead of kill-:.
: ing birds.they counted them.

The , tradition: :of ‘counting
birds -has. spread beyond the

~ continent, and. volunteers from. -
8. America, ’ -Bermuda, the

West Indies and the. Paeitic Is-_
lands now take. part:

Each ~ count: ‘group ‘was’ a
designated circle’ about. 15 :

miles in diametre,

Here in Terrace that circle
centres on the Dudley Little
Bridges, and spreads out i in a
Jadius from there, - poe
: “Anybody at any evel ¢ can

participate,’’. explains Weis-
miller, “You don't havé to be’
‘an expert, Even. if you only
iknow one or two species that’s -

okay.”? -

“Last year 3,093 birds, were

‘counted in’ Terrace, and* 34
species were spotted,

“Some of the conimon species

spotted, .

“in next week's Paper.” ee

spotted were crows, ravens,

swans and mallard ducks, says.
Weismiller. Other birds: com-

Mon to the area are Dark-eyed
Juncos; -
~ chickadees. .

Pine: : Siskens: and ,

Last year’s count also. turned -

_Up some unusual birds. Seven.

Pygmy Owls were counted —
quite'a high: ‘tuniber: for the
tiny:bird, and one Snow Burit-
ing,’ a small white bird, “was

“Look for ‘this y year's esis

SECTION B
CRIS LEYKAUF
638-7283