TERRACE STANDARD INSIDE SECTION B COMMUNITY JENNIFER LANG EVENTS B2 638-7283 JUST A THOUGHT. EV BISHOP The good-bye blues J HIS MONTH ] sent the very last email that I would ever send from my ald computer, Strangely, it made me feel sort of sad. I knew for a long time that my computer was on its deathbed and not doing what [ needed it to do. In fact, I talked almost non-stop about how I wished [ could afford a new one but still when the day for the new one came, I started to wax sentimental. it was my very first camputer, after all, and it was the machine that gave wings to my de- sire to write again. It was the death of my “I can’t write seriously, I don’t have a computer” excuse and because of this, I owe the old girl a lot. Playing with my new, beautiful, fully loa- ded computer, [ realized that it wasn’t really the computer I was having a problem saying good-bye to, It was’ merely triggering the feel- ings that often afflict me at this time of year; time goes on and things change, people you love, leave. It seems that August has always been a “pood-bye month” for me. Ever since I deci- ded to stay on and live here after graduation, I have had to say farewell to friends and family as they left to go to school. Every summer [ had to face the fact that it . might be the last summer that they “came home,” and this summer it happened, no one “came home,” they just came to visit, Right now I’m enjoying the visits of peaple I love but my happiness in seeing them is dampened by the knowledge that in just a few days I’ll and then we Separate. I can’t give my old computer all the credit for causing my depressing musings. Seeing the “farewells to Terrace” published in the news- paper and hearing about decline in student en- rolments in the schools forced me take notice of how many people are moving away out of necessity, leaving for wark in other places. While I do believe that true friends stay friends through the years, I dislike clichés like “friends are friends forever.” The words sound comforting but they don’t make up for the fact that you end up knowing very little about your absent friends’ lives. You can’t really be there for them when they have problems and vice- versa, You don’t share little laughs over non- descript details of an ordinary day. Most events are more spectacular when you are pre- sent and they lose something when described over the phone or in a letter. Even while I find this all very depressing, I have found that there are positive things that come out of being separated by miles from loved ones. It makes you cease to take true friendship for granted. When your best buddy lives minutes away and you can have coffee anytime, it’s easy to not take notice of how much you appreciate them and value their input into your life. There’s nothing like a little absence to make you see how much you de- pend on someone. “This summer it happened, no one ‘came home,’ they just came to visit.” It also makes you work harder on your friendship.,, You have to, if it’s going to last. You won’t be running into them down town or dropping by unexpectedly for a quick visit. It forces you to be conscientious, to make phone dates, write letters, and send pictures. It’s funny but I just realized ‘that [ don’t have pictures of my friends that live in town. Why would [71 can drive for five min- utes and see them in person. It’s when people move away that annual picture exchanges come into play. Having people leave, makes me thankful for good friends that remain and inspires me to keep developing my friendships because I know how important they are. However depressed I am by the moving of away of friends, [ don’t regret the closeness that causes pain at separation. Anais Nin wrote, “Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting thal a new world is born.” (The Diary Of Anais Nin), This is true of meeting new friends but it’s also true of friends who leave. Through the changes in their worlds, you learn and grow and experience vi- cariously the delights and challenges of differ- ent cities, school classes and new jobs. Hopefully in my friends’ lives, I represent enjoy and will remember, one that will. bring then back to:me time and -agaln, lf only for a visit, : ; have to say good-bye again... We j just catch up w Park life BOB FRANK, seen here with his mom, Aileen, plants the newest addition to Frank Park, where a team of local foresters, including Kim Haworth and Jim Quigley, have worked to clean up the park and upgrade the trails. On Aug. 21 the Frank family and some of the volunteers gathered to see the fruits of their labours. Floyd Frank, now nearly 97, donated the land to the city in 1975. He'd planted a variety of species of evergreens there. some sort of intriguing world; one that they: COMMUNITIES In Bloom judges Dave Hilton of Kamloops and Joanne La- force of Maple Ridge at the beautification society's annual dinner. A blooming good show People, not posies, may be our best asset By JENNIFER LANG WAY TO po, Terrace, The Greater Terrace Beautification Society is commending the efforts shown by residents and bu- sinesses alike as prepara- tions for the Communities In Bloom contest reached a fever pitch, Two contest judges ar- rived two weeks ago, put- ling Terrace’s gardens and greenspaces under the mi- croscope. “We were very, very proud,” beautification soc- iety president Chris Han- sen said. “The community has really put on its best face, The judges were impres- sed.” And now it's just a question of how big a bou- quet Terrace will receive for its efforts. She said the judges looked at everything from the city’s garden beds to the amount of environ- mentally sensitive areas that are protected. “The late spring we had worked in our favour be- cause the flowers are in bloom now,” she said. “The community has really put on its best face. The Judges were @ Impressed. ” Terrace could earn one bloom or as many as six in the Communities in Bloom contest, depending on how well the town fares in a range of categories. own yards were well kept. The judges also evalu- ate the amount of com- “ munity involvement. Hansen said the most common comment the judges heard from Terra- cites was: “You should have seen it five years ago.” The judges were fram Maple Ridge and Kam- loops, two towns that are also. entered in the .Com- ui ide fri" Bloom ‘contest “And ‘the town had never looked cleaner.” Hansen said Terrace re- sidents went all out for the contest, clipping grass to the curb and ensuring their this year, The judges joined local dignitaries at the beautifi- cation society’s annual barbecue at Heritage Park Museum. TOMSON HIGHWAY in Kamloops. Director helps playwright draft his new project By CRAIG BATTLE CALL IT the best business meeting Marianne Brorup Weston has ever had. The local director hit the road recently to meet Tom- son Highway, the writer be- hind her recent production, The Rez Sisters. The two met two weeks ago in Kamloops after months of trading thoughts and ideas. “All through the process of developing my produc- tion, we were correspond- ing,” said Brorup Weston. Highway, who usually splits his year between France and Ontario, was in B.C, to workshop his latest play Efnestine Shuswap Gets Her Trout. He invited her out so she could participate in the workshop and so they could finally meet face to face. Brorup Weston was not let down by his personal demeanour. “He’s very open,” she said. “He’s an extremely funny, funny man.” During the workshop, Highway asked for advice on everything down to the characters’ names, and took ad- vice well. “There was a great deal of discussion,” she said. The play, now in its third draft, is based on the events surrounding Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier’s visit to Kamloops in August, 1910. The story surrounds four women, each aged 10 years apart, preparing a feast for the event. “There’s a lot of hilarity in the play.” As with Rez Sisters, Brorup Weston said, the play- wright blends humour with hard issues. Marianne Brorup Weston “He's very good at mixing deadpan funny with stuff: that rips your puts out,” she said. Brorup Weston said she would love ta put the play on for northern audiences, but won’t gel the chance to do so for a while, “The play is at least a year away,” she said of its de- velopment. Ernestine will first open to a national tour, just as Rez Sisters did back in 1986, The rights will be off limits until after the tour, which could take as long as another year. Meanwhile, here at home, Brorup Weston and Skee- na River Players are planning a play crealion and acting workshop in October with First Nations playwright Yvette Nolan, Around Town Helmets: strap ‘em on WITH SUMMER in full swing, kids everywhere are rolling out onto local sirects. With that in mind, the North West Health Unit is reminding children to wear helmets and safety gear when using toys that have wheels. Falls from scooters, bikes and trikes, roller blades and skateboards can cause head injuries, broken bones, scrapes and bruises. Twice as many boys as girls are injured, says injury prevention nurse Ester Brisch. She recommends wearing a helmet when riding a bike or a trike. Elbow and knee pads - and a hel- met — are a must when using a scooter. Wear wrist guards, knee and elbow pads and a helmet when using roller blades. Parents should tell children to ride on smooth, paved surfaces and to ride during the daytime. Adults should watch children under eight years of age closely, because they can't judge traffic speed well. Their brains and eyes aren’t totally developed yet, she says. Remind your child to take the helmet off when playing, so he or she doesn’t get stuck when crawl- ing through playground equipment. For more infor- mation call her at 638-2200,