INSIDE SECTION B
COMMUNITY CRIS LEYKAUF
EVENTS B2 638-7283

REG HORNE

You can’t fight
human nature

ERRACE 1996. Latest medical

research shows pneumonia now

major cause of death among

smokers. 1] refer of course to the
new no smoking in buildings regulations
which have driven die hard (pun?) smokers
out inio the cold io savour their favourite
habit.

I promised some co-workers I would
bring thal to your attention and it is related
to my topic for this week. How are your
New Year’s resolutions doing? (Well, it
could be to quit smoking).

New Year’s resolutions are related to the
fact that the new year begins with January,
named after the Roman god, Janus, the god
of entranceways, who had two faces so that
he could look both backwards and forwards
at the same time. Thus it is a time when we
look backwards and try to change what
might happen in the future.

I always tell my students that there is no
such thing as the future. There are many fu-
tures. The one that actually happens
depends on the decisions we make each
day, Choasing to smoke or not to smoke is
just one of those decisions.

So, why don’t. New Year’s resolutions
work? J think it is because we don’t wor-
ship the god Janus anymore. There is no
more significance in January 1st than in any
other day. If you are going to revolutionize
your life, and that's what resolutions should
be about, then you need a special day to
start.

For many smokers that special day is the
day they have a heart attack or stroke and
their doctor says give up smoking or die.
Clearly telling people it is bad for their
health does not work. To a teenager, the
loss of six years off the end of their life is
about as important as January 1,

Only the fear of a long old age in
poverty drives people to their lo-
cal financial adviser. And it is far
more likely the massive savings
from not smoking will be frittered
away on chocolate bars,

The above example also suggests that in
addition to a special day, you need a special
reason. Changing one’s lifestyle is based on
the belief that the new lifestyle is better
than the old one was.

This is where the economic arguments
come in. If you saved up all that money you
have been burning away since you were [if-
teen you could retire at forty. Saving
cigarette money is about as likely as con-
tributing to an RRSP.

Only the fear of a long old age in poverty
drives people to their local financial ad-
viser. And it is far more likely the massive
savings from not smoking will be frittered
away on chocolate bars. They have to put
something in their mouth,

Maybe I am being too pessimistic, T quit
smoking. I found I could drive faster if I
didn’t smoke and drive. That was a goad
reason, BCIC ads aside, Next to cell
phones, cigaretles have lo be the greatest
driving hazard. I’m not kidding. In Ontario,
where they still have private car insurance,
you can get a non-smokers discount.

A work associate told me that smoking
outside was a management ploy to shorten
their cofice breaks, To that I can only say,
cheer up smokers, spring is almost here,
and we non-smokers will enjoy thal too,

Dr. Reg Horne is a member of the Univer-
sity of Northern British Colwnbia Faculty
of Natural Resources and Environmental
Studies based in Terrace.

IT’S RECESS time. A little boy
in kindergarten would like to take
a tum on the slide, but doesn’t
have the courage-to ask. If he
goes to school at Veritas, odds
are his buddy will come to his
rescue,

Al Veritas all children in cvery
grade are paired with a buddy.
Older students are paired with
younger ones, wilh an average
three year gap between them.

Usually teachers arrange for
classes that are buddicd to meet at
least once a month, fitting in ac-
livilies whenever they can.

But for the first time this year
twa classes which are buddied are
meeting regularly once a week,
and both grades are benefiting
from the extra time spent tageth-
er.

Margie Mueller’s grade four
class and Bernadette Fitzpatrick’s
kindergarten students meet every
Friday to do arts and crafts, read-
ing and printing, and occasionally
fun events like skating,

Grade four is the first year stu-
dents have a chance to be an
older buddy at Veritas. Until then
they've always been the younger
ones in the buddy program.

“It’s an opportunity for older
children to be role models for
younger chitdren,’’ Says
Fitzpatrick. :

“It helps build self-esteem
among the older children,’? adds
Mueller, ‘‘This is one place they
can shine.’’

Many of the grade four students
were with Fitzpatrick when they
were in kindergarten. Going back
there to visit their buddies lets
them see how much they've prog-
ressed since then.

Usually Fitzpatrick will explain
that Friday’s activity to the grade
fours. Then il’s up to them to ex-
plain the lesson to their younger
buddies.

“Tt helps them develop their
listening skills,”’ says Fitzpatrick.

Mueller has seen quite a dif-
ference in the grade fours since
the beginning of the school years.

“They’re becoming a lot more

COMMUNITY

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, February 14, 1996 - B41

Buddy system works well

GRADE FOUR students at Veritas helped their younger kindergartan buddies make Valentines
crafts last week, The older students helped the younger ones cut paper, choose colours, and glue
the project together. That's Patricia Davis with her buddy Morgan Oleksewich.

confident,’’ she says,

The buddy program also helps
the Brade four students learn how
to be supportive of what the
younger students are doing,
without taking over their projects.
It's a skill many adults lack.

“Some of the older children
like to be right in there doing
everything,’’ says Fitzpatrick.
“It’s very bard for them to let go
and not take control,”’ she says.

Duo Pacifica

Trills and tangos

MOUNTAIN SONGS and a
tango will be part of the even-
ings line-up in an upcoming
concert, Feb. 23 at the
McColl Playhouse.

Duo ss Pacifica features
Benson Benovoy on guitar and
Diane Berry on flute.

Both are accomplished
musicians in thelr own right,
but only recently decided to
pair up 1994,

The combination of these
two lyrical instruments is a
beautiful one, and the
repetoire of this duo makes it
accessible to a wide variety of
audiences,

Their current concert pro-
gram covers a wide range, and
includes: Nootka Sound and
Cassandra’s Dance, written by

Berry; and Serentat by Mauro
Biuliani; Tango Suite by Astor
Piazzolla, This suite traces the
history of the tango, with each
movement representing a dif-
ferent time period. The inter-
esting rhythms and beautiful
melodies make this a wonder-
ful piece for audiences.

Also included in their con-
cert program are Mountain
Songs by Robert Beaser. The
movements in this piece are all
folk songs from the Ap-
palachian mountains. It’s
music is equally at home at a
folk music festival or a concert
stage,

Duc Pacifico’s concert starts
at 8 pm. at the McColl
Playhouse on Feb. 23, Tickets
are $10 at Uniglobe Travel.

“They have to learn to let the fidence.
younger kids make their own “The older children can get

mistakes and Icarn from the pro- pretty protective,” said
cess." Fitzpatrick.
The younger children also ‘‘They’ll push them on the

benefit from the program.
“If they’re the older sibling, them.’

swings at recess and take care of

this is a chance for them to expe-
rience a new kind of rela-
tionship,”’ said Fitzpatrick.

Their buddies also give the kin-

And when the classes go skat-
ing the grade fours will hold their
younger buddies hand, since
many have never been skating be-

dergarlen students more con- fore.

Around Town

Bound for Disneyland

THE AIR B.C. desk at the Terrace airport is probably the most
colorful place in the building right now.

The wall behind desk is covered in brightly decorated clouds and
airplanes, all filled in with names of people who have donated
money, So lerminally if! children in this area can go to Disneyland.

It’s all part of a fundraiser Air B.C. is organizing to raise money
for whalt’s been dubbed ‘‘The Fantasy Flight."’

That flight will take about 15 kids fom the Northwest to Van-
couver on April 27.

They'll then meet up with other B.C. kids who are also dying of
cancer, and they'll travel to Disneyland together.

‘Most people who come to the counter ask what the planes and
clouds are afl about,’’ says customer service agent Patty Noonan.

**And most people have been really good about giving a dona-
tion.””

For two dollars you get ta put your name on a cloud, while five
dollars gets you a whole airplane.

So far $700 has been raised here, and Noonan says their goal is to
reach $1,000 by the end of the month.

Everyone involved in the fundraiser is voluntecring their lime.

The money raised in Terrace will go to offset the costs of meals
and accommodations.

*'There’s a lot of really fun things planned for the kids on the
fight,’’ says Noonan.

**There’}] be arts and crafts, and there’ll even be fun food!?’

The kids will get to spend a whole day in Disneyland before
retuming home.

Dare to live

FROM JAN., 1990 to Dec, 31, 1995, at least 106 teenagers in Ter-
race have aitempted to commit suicide. That number doesn’t in-
clude suicidal teens whe went to emergency and weren’t admitted
to the hospital, those who were dead by the lime they got to the hos-
pital, or those who never went to the hospital at all.

It’s statistics like those which prompted Beth Pollock to fly in an
expert on teenagers and self esteem to Terrace.

Mike Miller has spoken to well over a million teens across Cana-
da and the US on teen suicide, depression and self estecm, His
workshops teach out to both students and parents. In particular stu-
dents say his presentations are fun, informative and often touch
them personally.

Miller will be in Tertace Feb. 20-22. He'll be speaking to stu-
dents, staff and parents at Centennial Christian School on Feb. 20.
The next day he will spend with students from Caledonia, Skeena
and Thornhill Jr. Secondary. Parents and any interested members of
the public can hear him speak on Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the REM
Lee,

Pollock {s raising money to cover the expenses for Miller’s trip.
She’s already raised over half of the required $7,000, If you'd like
to make a donation, call her at 638-8767,