the
Serving the Mapleton Community
Community News Volume 47 Issue 44
Drayton, Ontario
Election night - Neil Driscoll, left, is the new mayor of Mapleton after winning the seat in the Oct. 27 election, while veteran politician John Green, right, lost his Wellington County council Ward 2 seat to Gregg Davidson. RIGHT: Davidson, right, chats with Mapleton councillor candidate Michael Martin, who was also elected on Monday night. photos by Patrick Raftis
New councillors - Winning their bid for positions as Mapleton councillors for the coming term were, from left: Dennis Craven, Marlene Ottens, Michael Martin and Lori Woodham.
seat in the 2010 election (1,069 votes) and political newcomers Marlene Ottens (1,031), Michael Martin (1,010) and Lori Woodham (1,005). Woodham said she felt
“wonderful� about the prospects for the new council under “the leadership of Neil with his experience over the past four years, and also knowing all issues that we will be dealing
Daily Interest 1.45%
638-3328
Friday, October 31, 2014
Neil Driscoll wins mayor’s seat in Mapleton
by Patrick Raftis MAPLETON - The township’s new mayor is excited about the prospect of working with an all-new council for the next four years. “We do have a lot of work ahead of us. I think with the candidates that got elected the team is there to get it done,� said Neil Driscoll, who beat fellow current Mapleton councillor Jim Curry by a tally of 1,621 to 574 votes in the Oct. 27 municipal election. “I’m just really excited there’s just a lot of new ideas and new attitudes,� Driscoll said. “There’s none of that old ‘this is how we used to do it.’ And I’m very excited about that.� Driscoll said one of his first priorities will be “just to get council in a rhythm and get them working together and figure out where council and staff are going to interact. Just to get them running more smoothly.� In an email to the Community News, Curry offered congratulations to the new councillors and those who let their names stand for election. He also congratulated Driscoll. “I very much enjoyed working with him the last four years and he will do well in leading Mapleton,� said Curry. Driscoll will lead a council that will consist Dennis Craven, a former councillor who lost his
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with over the next four years, I feel that we have a well-diversified council to move forward in a positive manner.� Not successful in their bid for a councillor position were: Angie Culp (972 votes), Paul Douglas (877), Albert Runstedler (661), Martin Tamlyn (411), Rick Molenaar (366) and Nadia Sommerville (237). In perhaps the biggest upset in Wellington County, newcomer Gregg Davidson narrowly out-polled incumbent county councillor John Green to claim the county Ward 2 seat. Davidson won by 148 votes, with a count of 1,052 to Green’s 1,004. After the results were in, Green, a former Mapleton Continued on page 5
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Alma native in lockdown during Ottawa shooting by Patrick Raftis OTTAWA - As the entire country followed the unfolding drama of the shootings on Parliament Hill on Oct. 22, a Mapleton native was under lockdown in Centre Block along with parliamentarians and others at the centre of events. Brenda Trask, who grew near Alma on the farm of her parents Morley and Thelma Trask, has been living in the national capital region since 1991. As communications manager for SeCan, an Ottawabased agricultural firm, she was part of a group of about 20 employees touring the parliament buildings when Corporal Nathan Cirillo was shot by a gunman who was later gunned down in the halls of Centre Block. The group had just been met by MP Bev Shipley and was about to head down the hall of honour enroute to the Peace Tower, when Trask asked a question that caused Shipley to diverge the group into the nearby Conservative Lounge for an explanation. “We were in there maybe two to three minutes ‌ and then we heard the shots and
we were on the floor. That’s how close it was. That’s how scary it was,� Trask told the Advertiser, in a telephone interview on Oct. 27. The 20 SeCan employees, plus Shipley and a guard, were locked down in the Conservative Lounge from just before 10am until around 9pm, when they were removed to another area of the building. They were finally allowed to leave at about 10pm. While water was available, it wasn’t until about 6pm that security staff were able to bring food to the visitors. “It was just at the beginning for me that I was sort of terrified for the group. Because we didn’t know how many shooters there were. We didn’t know what was going on. And that’s what’s scary when you don’t know what’s going on,� said Trask. Shortly after the incident began, group members were able to use their cell phones to get media updates on the situation, and staff members later turned on the television sets in the lounge to allow Continued on page 8
Local Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon hits $25,000 fundraising mark by Sue Hogenkamp DRAYTON – Just as the cooler weather brought on colourful foliage, Oct. 23 brought colourfully dressed women to the PMD arena for the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon. Founder Dale Franklin moved the event back to the fall after holding it in the spring the last two years. The 75 enthusiastic women present enjoyed a hot lunch catered by the Drayton UCW, and purchased tickets for prizes and raffles, with the proceeds donated to the Listowel Breast Health Centre and the Grand River Cancer Centre. Franklin proudly reported that in nine years, the event has raised more than $25,000. Once again, a unique Day Lily was auctioned off to the highest bidder, compliments of breeder Betty Fretz. The lilies are most often purchased and named to honour someone who has battled cancer, with this year’s lily honouring Ann Buehler. Past purchasers, the Maple Mad Hatters, invited everyone to view their lily at the Mapleton Township office garden in the spring. Quite fittingly, it is a red bloom with a purple throat.
Creating awareness - Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon founder Dale Franklin, left, poses with keynote speaker and diagnostic imaging technologist, Crystal Hartung, who emphasized the importance of proper screening in the early detection of breast cancer. photo by Sue Hogenkamp
This year’s big raffle will be drawn on Dec. 18. First prize is a wooden crokinole board handcrafted by Floyd, Gary and Bob Schieck. Second prize is a pink crib-sized bunny quilt hand sewn by the “Sew Whats,� and third prize is an original painting, Secret Garden by Henni Klaassen. The items can be viewed and tickets purchased at Blooming Dales on Main Street. Main St. W. Palmerston
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Keynote speaker Crystal Hartung, a diagnostic imaging technologist, delivered a powerful message about the importance of screening in the early detection of breast cancer. Hartung herself is considered to be at higher risk since her mother was diagnosed at the age of 40. Women are encouraged to participate in the Ontario Breast Screening Program
from age 50 to 74 if they are of average risk - in other words, they do not have a close relative who has been diagnosed or they have not tested positive for the breast cancer gene. However, Hartung suggests that all women get at least one mammogram while in their 40s to establish a baseline, and then continue with mammograms every two years from age 50. Those who are at high risk require them annually from age 30 to 69 years. “Everyone needs to take care of themselves and get screening before it is too late,� Hartung cautioned her audience. “Fifty per cent of all cancers can be prevented or detected early before they become serious.� There are three organized cancer screening programs in this province: the Ontario Breast Cancer Screening Program, the Ontario Cervical Screening Program, and the Colon Cancer Check. Hartung advises that everyone take advantage of these programs so that they can “screen for life.� As a certified X-ray technologist, Hartung went on to describe some of the latest equipment available for mammography to help assuage the
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many fears that women often have that cause them to put off this life saving procedure. “The new changes make it easier and less painful,� she said. To set up an appointment for a first mammogram with the Listowel Breast Health Centre, women can call 1-519291-5490. Hartung also emphasized that women “need to watch for any changes in breast health and get checked out if they have any concerns. “You don’t have to wait until you are 50,� she assured her audience. The afternoon wrapped up with a heartfelt speech by Franklin, who described how she came up with the idea for the first luncheon in 2006. As owner of Blooming Dales, she received a limited edition print signed by artist Betty Singer after selling a large quantity of Singer’s line of giftware. The Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon came about as a way to raffle off the print and make some money to help her friends who were battling breast cancer. The first year, 75 tickets were sold and $1,400 was raised. At subsequent luncheons, as many as 150 ladies
have attended with over $3,000 raised. The event not only sponsors the Listowel Breast Health Centre and the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre, but has also provided funding for the Sunflower Seeds Team for Ovarian Cancer. Over the nine years of luncheons, participants have learned about breast screening, reconstruction surgery, how to look one’s best and eat healthy while battling cancer, but perhaps some of the most inspiring speakers have been those who have shared their personal journeys with cancer. “The biggest benefit from this luncheon that I never expected was that I would become close to so many women who inspire me with their strength and courage, their grace and friendship while they are busy living life and surviving, or we should say thriving,� Franklin shared with her audience As she announced this will be the last luncheon, Franklin added, “We’ve created a community of care here in Drayton – breast cancer is no longer something that we don’t talk about. Unfortunately for us, it’s too prevalent to be silent about.�
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