I Believe in Angels
My daughter received this e-mail from a friend and
we were all so taken by it that I couldn't help sharing it with
everyone else. It's what the season is all about. Thank you Amanda
Vanden for adding a bright spot to our lives. We believe in Angels
too!
(Here is something that my grandma sent me, and I thought it
was a nice story. What do you think?
Amanda)
In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies
and 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. The boys ranged
from three months to seven years; their sister was two. Their
dad had never been much more than a presence they feared. Whenever
they heard his tires crunch on the gravel driveway they would
scramble to hide under their beds. He did manage to leave us $15
a week to buy groceries. Now that he had decided to leave, there
would be no more beatings, but no food either.
If there was a welfare system in effect in southern Indiana at
that time, I certainly knew nothing about it. I scrubbed the kids
until they looked brand new and then put on my best homemade dress.
I loaded them into the rusty old 51 Chevy and drove off to find
a job.
The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in
our small town. No luck. The kids stayed, crammed in the car and
tried to be quiet while I tried to convince whomever would listen
that I was willing to learn or do anything. I had to have a job!
Still no luck. The last place we went to was just a few miles
out of town. It was an old Root Beer Barrel drive-in that had
been converted to a truck stop. It was called the Big Wheel.
An old lady named Granny owned the place and she peeked out of
the window from time to time at all those kids.
She said she needed someone on the graveyard shift, 11 at night
until seven in the morning. She paid 65 cents an hour and I could
start that night.
I raced home and called the teenager down the street to come and
babysit. I bargained with her to come and sleep on my sofa for
a dollar a night. She could arrive with her pajamas on and the
kids would already be asleep.
This seemed like a good arrangement to her, so we made a deal.
That night the little ones and I knelt to say our prayers. We
all thanked God for finding Mommy a job. And so I started at the
Big Wheel.
When I got home in the mornings I woke the babysitter up and sent
her home with one dollar of my tip money-fully half of what I
averaged every night.
As the weeks went by the heating bills added another strain to
my meager wage. The tires on the old Chevy had the consistency
of penny balloons and began to leak. I had to fill them with air
on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.
One bleak fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home
and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no
note, no nothing, just those beautiful brand new tires.
Had Angels taken up residence in Indiana? I wondered. I made a
deal with the owner of the local service station. In exchange
for his mounting the new tires, I would clean up his office. I
remember it took me a lot longer to scrub his floor than it did
for him to do the tires. I was now working six nights instead
of five and it still wasn't enough.
Christmas was coming and I knew there would be no money for toys
for the kids. I found a can of red paint and started repairing
and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so
there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning.
Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches on top of patches
on the boys pants and soon they would be too far gone to repair.
On Christmas Eve the usual customers were drinking coffee in the
Big Wheel. These were the truckers, Les, Frank, and Jim, and a
state trooper named Joe. A few musicians were hanging around after
a gig at the Legion and were dropping nickels in the pinball machine.
The regulars all just sat around and talked through the wee hours
of the morning and then left to get home before the sun came up.
When it was time for me to go home at seven o'clock on Christmas
morning I hurried to the car. I was hoping the kids wouldn't wake
up before I managed to get home and get the presents from the
basement and place them under the tree. (We had cut down a small
cedar tree by the side of the road down by the dump.) It was still
dark and I couldn't see much, but there appeared to be some dark
shadows in the car, or was that just a trick of the night?
Something certainly looked different, but it was hard to tell
what.
When I reached the car I peered warily into one of the side windows.
Then my jaw dropped in amazement.
My old battered Chevy was full -- full to the top with boxes of
all shapes and sizes. I quickly opened the driver's side door,
scrambled inside and kneeled in the front facing the back seat.
Reaching back, I pulled off the lid of the top box. Inside was
a whole case of little blue jeans, sizes 2-10! I looked inside
another box: It was full of shirts to go with the jeans. Then
I peeked inside some of the other boxes: There were candy and
nuts and bananas and bags of groceries. There was an enormous
ham for baking, and canned vegetables and potatoes. There was
pudding and Jell-O and cookies, pie filling and flour. There was
a whole bag of laundry supplies and cleaning items. And there
were five toy trucks and one beautiful little doll.
I drove back through the empty streets as the sun slowly rose
on the most amazing Christmas Day of my life. I was sobbing with
gratitude. I will never forget the joy on the faces of my little
ones that precious morning.
Yes, there were Angels in Indiana that long-ago December. And
they all hung out at the Big Wheel truck stop.
I BELIEVE IN ANGELS! They live next door, around the corner, work
in your office, patrol your neighborhood, call you at midnight
to hear you laugh and listen to you cry, teach your children,
and you see them every day without even knowing it!
Trash Talk
This Christmas instead of contributing to the landfill, or increasing
air pollution by burning your tree, why not get a live one? After,
you can either plant it on your lot or donate it to a school,
park or church. Although, tree farms might very well be improving
the environment (1 acre of trees is said to provide the daily
oxygen needs for 18 people) some use harsh pesticides and fertilizers.
Fake trees are often made from petroleum and cannot be composted.
Pick a site where the roots will not disrupt pathways and the
foliage wonít become inconvenient, usually about 20 feet
from fences, gardens or buildings. In the autumn, spade the entire
area, (4 to 5 times the expected size of the root), mixing in
one-third compost to native soil.
When choosing a live tree, avoid any that show signs of stress,
such as browning. Live trees are heavy, so go with a small one,
which tend to experience less transplant shock. It is important
to pick a species of tree that grows naturally in your area and
to consider picking a different one each year, to increase diversity.
Live trees do best indoors when kept in a cool spot, watered daily
and kept away from direct sunlight or any heat source. When the
holiday has ended set the tree outside in a sunny, but sheltered,
area to keep it dormant. Water lightly every few days. Transplant
in the spring being sure to remove the pot or burlap from the
root ball. Lay down landscape fabric to provide a weed-free zone
and mulch heavily with wood chips. Be sure not to over water your
tree, once a week in dry spells should do it.
Trees beautify the land, provide privacy, shade, and windbreak
protection. Trees provide a habitat for wildlife, screen out noise
and control the soilsí water holding capability. It is
this authorís opinion that planting trees is the single
greatest legacy an individual can leave behind.
Ideas & comments can be sent to email: drumit@bc.sympatico.ca
Shopping Local!
The holidays are here and it's time to spend vast sums on family,
friends, Christmas trees and the fattened calf. This season, let's
all remember to spend some money in our neighborhood. The businesses
certainly deserve it. Their offerings are first class and the
extra income could very well keep them afloat for the next year.
Who's local? Look around. There are interesting merchants, restaurants,
copy centers, office suppliers, auto shops, computer stores, clothing
stores, flower shops, grocers, gas stations, book stores, authors,
hair salons, community organizations. The list is long. Besides,
with the monetary condition in Asia and its effect on multi-national
corporations, it might be in our best interests to insure independent
companies stay afloat. "Big box" pick the top 12 "loss
leader" items, and make sure they're the lowest in town on
these items, even if it means selling them for a loss. However,
they make up for these losses by selling most of the rest of their
inventory, the nuts and bolts, so to speak. They count on customers
thinking that the low prices on the advertised items are representative
of the prices in the rest of the store. Check the price of plumbing
fittings, or other "non-price sensitive" items. They
even sometimes pass the savings on to consumers. However, as we
have heard, many costs are hidden. You could also consider the
higher prices at the local store your contribution to your neighborhood.Vote
with your pocketbook.
The Grand Forks & District
Recreation Commission and Grand Forks
merchants
are sponsoring a special event for the children on Saturday December
18th. On the day the aquatic will be open, just for kids, from
10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Crafts, games and videos will be set up in
the lobby and special games and activities will be held in the
water, And, while your children play, you can head downtown and
shop.
The fee for each child is $5.00 and a portion of each admission
will go to the GFSS Girls Soccer Team, who will be assisting with
this event, towards their trip to England.
This special swim is open to boys and girls, Kindergarten through
grade 7 and children can drop in at any time. Parents can pack
a lunch or a snack and the pool will provide refrigeration. Children
are also welcome to stay for the Santa Swim (at no additional
charge) which follows immediately after, from 1 until 4 p.m. Just
a reminder that children under 7 must be accompanied by an adult
for that afternoon public swim. So parents, if you haven't white
finished you Christmas shopping be sure to take advantage of this
offer. For details you can call the Grand Forks Recreation Office
at 442-2202.
Our Santa Delivers!
All through this winter season, Connie and the staff of New West
Trading Co. are offering delivery service Free of Charge to Seniors'
within the Valley! Call before Tuesday, witha $15.00 order and
we will deliver it Free to your door on Wednesday Afternoon! No
need to brave the ice, and snow of cold this winter... We're here
to help! Call 442-5342 with your order & we will do the rest!
P.S. We can pick up an OpenMinder or Gazette for you too! Happy
Holidays from our Delivery Santa!
The Five Lessons in Life
#3. Always Remember Those Who Serve;
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 year
old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress
put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice
cream sundae?" "Fifty cents,"replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a
number of coins in it. "How much is a dish of plain ice cream?"
he inquired. Some people were now waiting for a table and the
waitress was a bit impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she
said brusquely. The little boy again counted the coins. "I'll
have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought
the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The
boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed. When
the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then
swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed neatly beside the
empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies-her tip.
Putting the 'fun' in ski fundamentals
That's what the Nancy Greene Ski League (NGSL) has been doing
across Canada for over three decades.
The Nancy Greene Ski League began in 1968, when Nancy Greene Raine,
who recently was voted Canada's female athlete of the century,
became an Olympic champion and sparked a country-wide interest
in the sport of skiing.
With a philosophy that emphasizes "ski racing for the fun
of it", the League has nearly 2000 children, between the
ages of six and twelve, in 40 clubs spread throughout British
Columbia, developing their skiing skills in a fun, safe atmosphere
of fair play. In addition to the age requirements, children must
wear a helmet , have some basic knowledge of skiing and be able
to ride lifts or t-bars. This is not a learn to ski program, but
rather, a learn to ski better program.
Locally, the Nancy Greene Ski League (NGSL) has had a long and
successful history based at our very own Phoenix Mountain.
Over the years, the Nancy Greene ski racers from that 'little
ol' friendly hill' have held their own competing against other
area hills like Nakusp, Red Mountain, Salmo or Whitewater.
The success of the NGSL at Phoenix has been due to the dedication
and leadership of the volunteer ski coaches and parents that have
been involved with the local program over the years.
Recently, under the knowledgeable hand of Brian Fitzpatrick, the
Phoenix Mountain Racers once again saw their numbers rise and
success in League races increase.
How To Register
Register early and save $$$$ - what a deal. There will be an early
season registration fee for the Nancy Greene Ski League at Phoenix
Mountain. Register early and take advantage of this special registration
fee, plus further discounts. Registration will take place Saturday,
December 18 at Phoenix 4 Elements (Market Ave., Grand Forks) from
10:30 to 12:00.
The cost for the 10 -12 week program, which starts in January,
will be $85.00 for 1 skier. In addition, a family discount of
10% for 2 skiers, 15% discount for 3 skiers and a 20% discount
for 4 skiers will be offered. Don't miss out on this additional
incentive. Register early.
This discount will only be available up to and including the day
of registration. After that date, the registration fee will be
$95.00 - without any discounts.
Registration provides: membership in BC Alpine (organization that
oversees the BC NGSL program), insurance coverage for registered
skier and one parent, free subscriptions to Ski Canada and Ski
the West magazines, the skier's 'Greene' card, provides local
discounts and reductions, NGSL bib (to be returned at season's
end), special on-hill events
Registration does not cover lift tickets or any ski equipment
needed for the NGSL. Remember, all NGSL skiers must wear a helmet.
So, get in the ski of it. Register this Saturday, December 18
at Phoenix 4 Elements. Don't forget to bring your Medical Insurance
Card. For more information, contact Shayne Konar at 442-5338.
A review and then some by .Merilyn Walker
It was my good fortune to attend the Premiere showing of the movie,
Snow Falling on Cedars on Sunday, November 21, 1999. We have all
been waiting with great anticipation for its release.
This film adaption of David Guterson's best selling novel follows
the storyline in the book very closely. The movie starts with
the foggy night on which the fisherman, Carl Heine, lost his life.
It quickly moves to the actual murder trial and shows many scenes
of the streets of Greenwood. These scenes included the beautiful
murals on the McArthur Centre and the Treasure Trunk. The scene
done on the post office hill was very effective as was the strawberry
festival parade. We will need to watch it several times to acknowledge
all the 'locals' in those scenes! I can't even begin to name names
as I will leave many out, everyone will have to see it for themselves!
The technical ability is soon apparent as the entire movie is
filled with scenes of the big snow storm. Only those present at
the shooting can appreciate how much of that was artificial snow.
It certainly is not apparent in the movie! I kept seeing people
I know as extras on the streets. It was very exciting!
Produced by power duo Kathleen Kennedy and Fank Marshall (former
heads of the Spielberg-Universal endeavour Amblin Entertainment),
the film is a major studio picture with big hopes of hardware
at this year's Acadamy Awards. Directed by Scott Hicks, the Austalian
director who rose to fame in the wake of the Oscar-winning film
Shine, Snow Falling on Cedars features an all-star cast that includes
American celebrity Ethan Hawke (Gattaca, A Midnight Clear, Great
Expectations) and Japanese starlet Youki Kudoh.
The Premiere was held at the Vogue Theatre on Granville in Vancouver
and followed by a Gala Reception at the Hotel Georgia. This event
was attended by the leading actress,Youki Kudoh and by Kathleen
Kennedy from the Production team. Her twin sister, Connie Kennedy
was there too and it was really nice to see her again. Colleen
and Jeff Fraser attended also. We not only got to visit with Connie,
we were able to get a few autographs from Youki Kudoh and Kathleen
Kennedy. Kathleen has sent an especially warm greeting to the
people of Greenwood and area, remembering how helpful and cheerful
the residents were. Think about it, we can't get a better compliment
than that, especially from someone who is always looking for a
'good location' for that next movie! Speaking of which, the first
credit, after acknowledgement to the BC Film Commission, was a
special thank you tothe City of Greenwood!
The Premiere was a fundraiser for Nikkei Place which is currently
under construction at Kingsway & Sperling in Burnaby at the
geographic centre of Greater Vancouver. Nikkei Place will be a
home for all people. It will include a communty & cultural
centre, senior's residence, supportive husing facility and garden.
The 1,000 seats at the Vogue Theatre were sold out and the event
raised appoximately $35,000.00. They still need about $800,000
for this worthy cause. I spoke with Randy Kamiya from the National
Nikkei Heritage Centre. They expect to move into the new building
early in the new year and be open to the public by spring. This
is a non-profit society. Donations can be sent to them at #300
-1050 Alberni Street, Vancouver, b.c. V6E 1A3.
My trip was sponsored by the Gem Theatre in Grand Forks and very
soon I will be working with Maureen and Marias Paquet on a Premiere
showing of our own. They are working hard to get a copy of the
movie on January 7, 2000 when it is released in the big centres.
Haven't had any luck with that date yet, but don't underestimate
Maureen's ability, it may happen yet!
Watch for details as they unfold.
Annual Greenwood & Area Residential
Christmas Light Display Contest!
Let' s All Get 'Lit for 2000
Contest Runs Dec. 1st to Dec. 12th, 1999
Winners to be announced on Channel 10 & published in the following
OpenMinder issue on the 16th of December
Last year' winners were
First prize $25 Mr. & Mrs. Paul Schembri
Second Prize $20 Mr. & Mrs. Herb Winchester
Third Prize $15 Mr. & Mrs. Cam Dutz
In Co-operation with the
Greenwood
Board of Trade
serving our community for 100 years!
A Marriage of Man & Machine!
To: Tech Support
Subject: Problems with Upgrade
Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0 and noticed
that the new program began unexpected child processing that took
up a lot of space and valuable resources. No mention of this phenomenon
was included in the product brochure. In addition, Wife 1.0 installs
itself into all other programs and launches during system initialization,
where it monitors all other system activity. Applications such
as Poker Night 10.3, Drunken Boys Night 2.5 and Saturday Football
5.0 no longer run, crashing the system whenever selected.
I cannot seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting
to run some of my other favorite applications. I am thinking about
going back to Girlfriend 7.0 but the un-install does not work
on this program. Can you help me, please?!?
Thanks, Joe
From: TECH SUPPORT
To: Joe
This is a very common problem men complain about but is mostly
due to a primary misconception. Many people upgrade from Girlfriend
7.0 to Wife 1.0 with the idea that Wife 1.0 is merely a UTILITIES
& ENTERTAINMENT program.
Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and designed by its creator to
run everything. It is unlikely you would be able to purge Wife
1.0 and still convert back to Girlfriend 7.0. Hidden operating
files within your system would cause Girlfriend 7.0 to emulate
Wife 1.0, so nothing is gained. It is impossible to uninstall,
delete or purge the program files from the system once installed.
You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is not designed
to do this. Some have tried to install Girlfriend 8.0 or Wife
2.0 but end up with more problems than the original system. Look
in your manual under "Warnings-Alimony/Child Support".
I recommend you keep Wife 1.0 and just deal with the situation.
Having Wife 1.0 installed myself, I might also suggest you read
the entire section regarding General Partnership Faults (GPFs).
You must assume all responsibility for faults and problems that
might occur, regardless of their cause. The best course of action
will be to enter the command C:\APOLOGIZE. In any case, avoid
excessive use of the ESC key because ultimately you will have
to give the APOLOGIZE command before the operating system will
return to normal. The system will run smoothly as long as you
take the blame for all of the GPFs.
Wife 1.0 is a great program, but very high maintenance. Consider
buying additional software to improve the performance of Wife
1.0. I recommend Flowers 2.1 and chocolates 5.0. Do not, under
any circumstances, install Secretary with Short Skirt 3.3. This
is not a supported application for Wife 1.0 and is likely to cause
irreversible damage to the operating system.
Best of luck.
Tech Support
award-winning artist
Emilee Belak
The Boundary Artisans Market is proud to announce that our very
own award-winning artist Emilee Belak is featured in the November
Special edition of Transitions magazine. Her quilt "In Praise
of Poppies" won two Best of Show Awards. We congratulate
Emilee and invite you see some of her work including silk screen
prints, at the Market.
Beverly Hill-Kleinstein, a fibre artist, has a full line of hats,
shawls and scarves. We carry the very popular children's clothes
by Claudia Kley. Grand Forks boasts some exceptionally talented
people that we are priviledged to represent.
For the winter months, we are planning craft classes in decorative
painting, knitting, stained glass & candle making. For information
on times and dates, contact Alice Lubbers at 442-4229.
Effective poster design!
Today, just as when they were first used in France in the 1800's,
posters often convey messages so attractively that they cross
the line between commercial art and fine art. However, the promotional
poster that is only pleasing to the eye is not earning its keep.
Your posters first point of business is to sell a message. If
people choose to keep your poster around for aesthetic reasons
long after its information is no longer relevant, well, that's
a bonus.
To make sure your poster has what it takes to get the job done,
give your design
stopping power. Some thing that reaches out and grabs the viewer
long enough to convey your message.
selling power. Readers should remember and react.
simplicity. The poster needs to communicate in a direct way and
at first glance.
uniqueness. An unusual treatment of elements presented in a clear,
understandable way.
A Master Plan
All of the above qualities - stopping power - selling power, simplicity,
and uniqueness - can be achieved even by the inexperienced designer
who is called upon to produce only an occasional poster. The first
step: ask yourself the following questions:
1). What is the posters purpose? Announce, sell, inform, or to
motivate?
2). Who is the target audience? Students, women, teens, or people
who like the colour red.
3). What information is required? Logo, trademark, slogan, contact
info, and a list, in order of importance of the message. Important,
tell them exactly what you want them to know.
4). What size and shape will your poster be? Realistically, it
can be any size you want. Practically, it depends on what you
want to accomplish, where and how it will be exposed to your audience
etc. Non standard sizes will have to be trimmed at an extra charge.
5). How many colours? Before you decide your budget can't handle
the cost of colour, remember that colour increases readership
by approximately 50%. Even coloured paper adds effectiveness!
6). What type style or font to choose? Before there was a million
type styles to choose and we sent type requests to the typesetter,
whose machines could only produce printouts of one font at a time,
proper design ruled, and that rule was: one font in up to 3 styles
(bold, italic, plain) plus, if needed a design font for the heading.
Carefull when you break that rule!
Poster Check List!
I Determine budget I Determine purpose I Determine target audience
I Determine required copy information I Prioritize that information
I Determine where poster will be displayed I Produce a number
of designs in rough form I Choose the best design or take the
most effective elements from each rough and combine them to create
your final design.
Keeping these guidelines in mind will help you produce truly effective
posters.III
Tips by Beyond Graphix. Print & Web design, Publishing &
Marketing. We design, produce, and distribute the OpenMinder.
For more info call 442-3731.
Just a Mother???
A few months ago, when I was piking up the children at school,
another mother I knew well rushed up to me. Emily was fuming with
indignation. "Do you know what you and I are" she demanded.
Before I could answer and i didn't really have one handy - she
blurted out the reason for her question. It seemed she had just
returned from renewing her drivers license. Asked by the woman
recorder to state her "occupation," Emily had hesitated,
uncertain how to classify herself.
"What I mean is," explained the recorder, "Do you
have a job, or are you just a ......?"
"Of course I have a job, "snapped Emily "I'm a
mother".
"We don't list 'mother' as an occupation... 'housewife' covers
it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the
same situation, this time at our own Town Hall. The Clerk was
obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of
a high-sounding title, like "Official Interrogator"
or Town Registrar."
"And what is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know, The words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the field of Child Development
and Human Relations.: The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen
in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard right. I
repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words.
Then I stared with wonder as my pompous pronouncement was written
in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask", said the clerk with new interest, "just
what do you do in your field?"
Coolly without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself
reply, "I have a continuing program of research (what mother
doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would
have said indoors and out). I'm working for my Masters (the whole
family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course,
the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother
care to disagree?) and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more
like it). But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill
careers and the rewards are in satisfaction rather than just money.
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerks voice as
she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to
the door.
I drove home, greeted my lab assistants, ages 13, 7, & 3 and
heard our experimental model, (6 months) testing out a new vocal
pattern and I felt triumphant on scoring a hit on bureaucracy,
being officially recorded as not just another ...