INSIDE SECTION B
COMMUNITY ’ ALEX HAMILTON
EVENTS B2 |

EV BISHOP

Perspective

A couple of weeks back I wrote about

how great is was to be back in Terrace and
that no matter how wonderful a holiday was, it
would be hard for any place to ever compete
with this area in my heart.

I haven’t changed my mind but the reasons
why are more complex than the ones I gave
then. ce

Yes, we have breath-taking scenery, great
water, nice hotels and restaurants but that is
really only a hint of what Terrace has. Secing
as the thoughts keep plaguing me, I feel I must
share them with you.

Last night I went to bed in freshly washed
bedding. There are few feelings as good and as
pure as that. ] remember, as a child, slipping
into line dried shects that smelied of the sun-
Shine that stitl sat in the sky by the time my
bedtime rolled around. I would bury my scrub-
bed face into that delicious pillow and feel bi-
zarre happiness, Since I’ve had my own child-
ren, | have been overwhelmed by gratitude at
the fact that I can snuggle them into sweet
smelling linen and cuddly quilts. Because it
was something special to me, I've never been
able to take it for granted.

Guilt-gilding the luckiness 1 feel, however,
is the knowledge that not all parents enjoy an
equal ability to feed, clothe and shelter their
children. ~

*This good fortune that I own, through no
work of'my own,.only God's grace and my
fluke of being born Canadian, was nailed into
me when my husband and I did a day trip into
Tijuana. I am told by almost everyone that I
talk to that saw only the smallest glimpse of
ihe poverty of that area and I believe it's truc.
Only a few begging children approached us
and they scemed healthy enough, well fed en-
ough, to not completely break my heart.

The tour’s bus driver commented that he
hoped we would spend a lot of money in the
local shops and on the trinkets sold on the
street because it would really help out the
venders. They only bring home money for a
day’s work if they have managed to sell things.
There is no daily wage.

Still, all things being considered, it was a
nice day, nothing too shocking. The bus driver
admitted ta sameone ahead of us’ that he care-
fully selects the area he brings the tour-to be-
cause it is cleaner, freer from street children
and beggars, than areas only blocks away.

| was unprepared for the drive out of Tijua-
na. We circled. through some ancient brick
apartment. buildings. Obviously condemned
and awaiting demolition, they sat windowless
and without doors. Piles of junk lay in front of
the building. Suddenly I realized that there
were bright coloured clothes hanging on ma-
keshift lines in the windows. These places
were homes. | was stunned.

Then for a mile or so, just before the border
crossing, [ looked curiously at an unending
Strip of assorted cardboard creations covered
with corrugated steel sheeling. What were
those things? They couldn't be? They were.

Homes. Cardboard homes and apparently
they're quite common in Mexico. I was blown
away. mo

I know thal there are far more poignant stor-
ies of poverty. | have seen sadder sights and
more awful circumstance even here in Canada.
What impacted me about these homes was ¢x-
actly what impacted me about clean sheets
and warm houses and plentiful food here: they
are taken completely for granted, “it is just the
way things are” and they’re not noteworthy or
cammented on.

There was another thing that.affected me.
The people seemed so happy and friendly.
Joking about their spouses, Inughing. about
their children... Inquiring if we. had children
and nodding in a pleased way when we said

cs,

” The bus driver had told us not to look al the
Mexican people and feel sorry for them when
we saw all that they didn’t have. “They dan’t
feel sorry for themselves and they don’t want
your pity, They enjoy the good things in their
lives probably more than us. In a lot of ways,
us Americans could learn a lot about life from
them.” I think “us Canadians” could learn a
lot too. —

When I say I appreciate where I live, it is
completely true. It’s not based on anything as
shallow as having fancy hotels and-rcstaurants
but rather on the rarcly considered riches that
almost all of us are afforded in this country;
food, shelter, clothing. And when I think of
the all the times that-I have complained, “I'm

myself. ee

’ being loud is the only way

638-7283

Construction class aids
cities both near and far

By SARAH GLEN
DON’T TELL the 16 stu-
dents in the Construction
12 class al Caledonia Se-
nior Secondary that they
need to be quiet.

Because in room #14

to get things done.

in the midst of constant
grinding, banging and saw-
ing, these woodworking
sludents have been work-
ing wonders — crafting
bookcases, benches, lables
and childrens’ toys.

And the majority of the
projects are for non-profit
Orpanizations around town
— or across the continent.

“A lot of the students
are getting ready to leave
home, so they don’t want
to build large things for
themselves,” said teacher,
Joe Murphy. “This way
they can get the exper-
ience and give back some-
thing to the community.”

Aaron Peters and Clint
Grandison, two students in
the class, are working an

3 ae ei ve cus AS

Caledonia Senior Secondary School construction students, Karl Suttis and Blake Koehl grab a seat at
their new picnic table. The table was the grade 12 students’ class project for the semester. It will be used
to raise funds for Caledonia teacher, Bob Bussanich’s Children's Haven Project, a school for street kids in

too broke, I’m too poor,” 1 am disgusted with

one of the many communi-
ty-based projects,

Their project, started in
February, is ta rebuild a
rotten, two-seat, rocking
swing for Terraceview
Lodge.

“It’s been a fun project
ta restore the bench, but
also really frustrating,”

said. Grandison, who had to _

realign the centre slats: in
the piece, after the team
found out the project
wasn’t square.

“If it isn’t square, the
tracks won’t run right,”
said Grandison.

Peters likes working on
lhe project, because if
prepares him for his future
carecr as a civil engineer.

Another team of stu-
dents, Blake Koehl and
Karl Suttis, are working on
an octagonal picnic table
and benches - the con-
struction class’ annual en-
deavor for the Children’s
Haven Project.

Brazil. Building the table for the non-profit organization is an annual affair for the construction class.

The Project is a school
for street kids set-up in
Olinda, Brazil, by another
Caledonia teacher, Bob
Bussanich,

The picnic table, which
took Koehl and Suttis
about a month and a half
to. finish, will be used as a
door prize for an upcoming
dance.

Ticket proceeds from
the dance are sent to help
‘the school buy food and
clothing for the students,
as well as basic school
supplies.

“It costs $60 a day keep
the 33 students [at the
school] off. the strect,” said
Bussanich. “The table is a
huge part of our fundrais-
ing, generating about 20
per cent of our overall re-
venue.”

Because of the strong
student support from Cale-
donia, Bussanich esti-

mates abour 120 street
kids have been helped
through the school, which
offers literacy and skills-
training classes:

Bul) none of these pro-
jects would have been
started if local businesses

. hadn't supported the Con-

struction. 12 class, ;
“Skeena © Sawmills,
Skeena Cellulose and Ter-
race Builders Do-it Centre
have donated material,
help and transportation
since the class began in
1990,” said Murphy.
Murphy is also quick to
point out that no projects
would have been started if
it weren't for the students’
enthusiasm,
~ “This is definitely a
student led class. If the
students werent willing
and capable, nothing
would have happened,”
said Murphy.

Youth hosts Scottish
dance to raise money

WHEN 17-year-old Eric
Duncan moves to Africa
in November on an inter-
national youth exchange
Program, he’s taking only
dark clothes with him.

“That way 1 won't have
to wash them that much
because it'll be dirty,”
Duncan said.

Chances are there won’t
be any running water in
the smail African family’s

home he'll be living in ei- |

ther.

He may even have to
share a bed with an Afri-
can youth participating in
the same exchange pro-
gram. ,

Why would Duncan
sign up for nearly four
months of living without a
toilet or other modern
amenities?

Just for the unique ex-
perience, he said.

“The most exciting part
will be experiencing a new
culture and new way of
life,” Duncan said,

“It’s not a vacation, J
won’t be sitting on the

- beach all day. I’ll be work-

ing, mecting new people
and doing things I never
thought of doing.”

Duncan is participating
in Canada World Youth, a
non-profit organization that
gives. young Canadians
aged. 17-29 practical,
hands on international

- work experience,

In partnership with

Eric Duncan is raising money to participate in Cana-

re

da World Youth, a non-profit exchange program.

communilies across Cana-
da and overseas, partici-
pants get an opportunity to
expand their world view
and strengthen their skill
levels, So

Duncan begins his pro-

gram August 21 in Quc- .

bec, where he'll be paired
up with an African. youth
for 3.5 months to live and
work,

“In Quebec, he expects:

he and his new African
friend will work for a small
business or in’ social: ser-
vices,

companion ‘will move to
Benin, Africa where: they.

will spend 3.5 months.
teaching English, working -
in the fields, or building:

Then he and his African :

houses.

In order to participate in
the exchange programs,
youths are responsible. for
raising $1,500.

Duncan has already so-
licited $830 from local bu-
Sinesses, services. clubs
and battle drives.

To raise more money,

he will be:hosting a Scot-

lish dance June.17 from 8-
10°p.m. at. Knox. United
Church. He encourages
everyone to come, learn a

few dance steps and sup-
port his worthy. mission to

Africa: Admission is by
donation, :

Duncan. is; also avyail-

able for. hire for.odd jobs,

He can be reached at G3B- .

Q5370

aS

oer

Caledonia teacher, Bob Bussanich stands in front
of a brick house in Brazil. The house is built with
money raised through the Children's Haven Project,

which helps Brazilian street kids and their families.

Around Town

Local poets wanted
THE TERRACE Public Library’s third annua! poe-
try contest is looking for local pacts fram 12 to 18
years old.

The poetry must be in by September first and full
contest rules are available at the library.
Cash prizes for the winners range from $50 -
$100, For more information, visit jitp-//L.pl.osg.net

Summer reading club

TAKE A trip through time at your local library this
summer.

The Terrace Public Library is hosting a free sum-
mer reading club for children of all ages, starting
June 24 at 10 am.

Each club member gets a reading record, book-
mark and stickers to help keep track of books read
over the summer.

To register call the library, 638-8177,

Girls’ science camp
SUMMER SCIENTISTS is a non-profit community
service that promotes female interest in science
and technology.

This is accomplished through a series of day
camps for young girls held throughout the summer
months. The goal of these camps is to provide a
fun, interactive and educational environment that
inspites the pursuit of new disciplines or areas of
study within in realm of science and technology,

The centre will be running six consecutive camps
from July 4 through August 25 for young women
ages 8-13, each session lasting approximately one .
week in length. Registration forms will be avd
able at the Terrace: Women's Resource Ce:
(4542 Park Ave) at at the Skeena Mall, both Fri-
day June 16 and June 23 between 4-8 p.m.

Free lessons
THE TERRACE Public Library is offering free one-

on-one Internet lessons. Book an appointment by
calling 638-8177,