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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday June 28, 2008 - 3 Doctor inspired by his grandfather By Melanie Cummings SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER t has been said before and worth repeating --- Oakville is a great place in which to grow old. That's because services are focused on elderly people are plentiful, providing for myriad needs. Dr. Greg Thomson is another reason. For his lasting contributions to the health and well being of seniors, the family doctor became the newest recipient of the Halton Health Care Dr. E.P. `Soapy' Soanes award. "It's especially an honour to have been nominated for this award by my colleagues," said Thomson after the June 19 award ceremony. A close relationship with his own grandpa, Tom Forsyth, prompted this personal and professional mission of focusing on care for the elderly. While Thomson never knew the award's namesake, he did work with his son, Stewart, who was also a physician at Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH). The E.P. `Soapy' Soanes Award was established in recognition of the hospital's first chief of staff and longstanding member of the department of family medicine. The award is given to a family physician at OTMH who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the hospital and community in the areas of clinical practice, community health, hospital programs, conCHRIS KORNACKI / OAKVILLE BEAVER tinuing medical education and community involvement. SHOW OF SUPPORT: Dr. Gregory Thomson with his Dr. E.P. Soapy Soanes Award. The Halton Thomson's career certainly meets all of Healthcare Services held its annual meeting and awards ceremony at the Oakville Conference Centre these requirements. on June 19. I Carving out time for the community on an already demanding work life is a challenge in itself. Somehow Thomson managed to actively participate in a number of important committees. Beginning in 1996, he was the co-chair of the first strategic plan for the elderly in Halton, served on the Community Care Access Centres' professional advisory committee in 1997, part of the Halton dementia network steering committee, as well as the provincial dementia advisory committee, sat on the alternate level of care steering committee at the Local Health Integration Network and been instrumental in establishing the hospital's third floor rehabilitation unit. Investing more than 30 years of his career at OTMH also made Thomson's input into the new hospital planned for the town's north end, vital. Thomson wears as many hats at the hospital, too. He is currently the medical program leader of rehabilitation and geriatrics at the hospital, medical director of the Villages of Halton Region Long Term Care Homes, and the president of the Halton Health Services professional staff association "It's especially rewarding to have set up a medical model for the Allendale, Post Inn and Creek Way nursing homes," said Thomson. He credits "a very understanding wife" with his ability to see such lofty local projects come to fruition. But when family time beckons, Thomson and his family, which includes three daughters and son, aged three, 13, 26, 29, head to the slopes in Collingwood. Celebrate Canada Day all day long in Bronte Celebrate Canada Day in Bronte on Tuesday, July 1. From 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., the party will be on Lakeshore Road West, Bronte Road, south of Lakeshore and in Heritage Waterfront Park. It kicks off with a Lions Pancake Breakfast from 8-11 a.m. The party will be capped off with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. Throughout the day, there's fun for kids from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with face painting, a balloon clown, inflatables, painting the world's biggest birthday card and free From pancake breakfast in the morning to fireworks at night birthday cake for kids. On the boardwalk stage, there will be a Meet-and-Greet with Ariel the Mermaid and performances by Juno Award-nominated Lenny Graf and cool kidertainer Sir Jerry. There will be music for everyone, a Shopper's Bazaar, Bronte artists, Taste of Bronte Food Marketplace and a Beer'n'Burgers Garden sponsored by the Kinsmen Club. From noon to 5 p.m. on the Boardwalk Stage, catch the pop/jazz of Don Campbell, Bronte Idol Emilia Sadowski, Joharah of BellyUp Belly Dance Studio and pop/Thai music by Nong Patinya Tangtrakui. On the Gazebo Stage in Heritage Park from 1-10 p.m., catch the rock folk, blues and Celtic fusion of Fiddlestix, the country/pop of Ryan Laird and Juno Awardnominated headliner God Make Me Funky. In Centriller Square, located at 2416 Lakeshore Rd., from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., listen to the Celtic and folk tunes of Adrian Hardie on Americana acoustic guitar, Two Twenty Two, the music and comedy of EFG, folk duo John and Sheila Ludgate, the Chicopee Ridge Bluegrass band and the folk and bluegrass of Miss Behavin'. Closing the lineup will be Brendan Galloway from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For information, visit www.brontevillage.net. CALIFORNIA & PLANTATION SHUTTERS · Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed · Serving Oakville with Shop at Home Service · Wood & Vinyl Shutters, Supplied & Installed · High Quality at Affordable Prices Shop at Home Service Authorized Eclipse Shutters Dealer FREE SHUTTERS ETC. 905.691.4455 · www.shuttersetc.ca