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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, January 22, 2010 · 16 The Regional Municipality of Halton www.halton.ca Let's give Haiti dignity By Sarah Mirenzi GRADE 12, HOLY TRINITY PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTRE Construction of Watermain along Trafalgar Road (Regional Road 3), Britannia Road (Regional Road 6) and Fourth Line with Construction of a Water Booster Station on Fourth Line, Towns of Milton and Oakville, PR-2483A, PR-2483B & PR-2456A Halton Region is proposing to install a new water feedermain along the following roads: I Halton Region is also proposing to construct a new water booster station on the west side of ntre the project drawings and to discuss any potential construction disruptions that may result DATE: TIME: PLACE: Thursday, January 28, 2010 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Boyne Community Centre 2287 Britannia Rd, Milton (East of Regional Road 25) this Water Booster Station Enquires: Watermain Enquires: Region of Halton Region of Halton 2010 Waste Management Guide and Collection Calendar t has been a week since devastation hit one of the world's poorest nations -- Haiti. The earthquake has killed more than 50,000 civilians and it is estimated that the death toll will rise to 200,000. More than three million have been affected. Some 1,400 Canadians are currently missing. Many others wait at the Canadian Embassy in Port-Au-Prince, the country's capital. The crowded streets of Haiti have become home to chaos and despair. Haitians panic as they search frantically for their loved ones. Many of them are suffocating beneath the rubble, unable to yell for help. For others it is too late, their bodies were found and placed in mass graves. They were never identified. Violence is breaking out as people fight over the small rations of food available. Dignity is missing, but who is to blame? For Haiti, a severely impoverished country that has been vulnerable to natural disasters throughout history, it will be almost impossible to pick up all of the pieces from last week's tragedy. Should Haiti's main focus be aiding to the injured or digging through the mess to find survivors? Should respectfully burying the dead be higher on Haiti's priority list than helping children locate their parents? These are all ridiculous questions. A country should never have to make these choices. We all need to help. Canada acted quickly, donating $10 million to the Haiti relief fund and raising awareness among Canadians. I believe our community can do more for Haiti. Oakville is a small town with a big heart. At 17 years old, I know that as teenagers we often get into the routine of not doing anything to make a difference. We feel voiceless and we look selfish and because of this we simply watch the world happen before our eyes. Earlier this week, I felt guilt overcome me as I changed the channel from CNN to MTV. I know I am not the only one who finds it easier to ignore afflictions on the other side of the world and get back to my own life. This behaviour is not acceptable anymore. It's time for high school students here to take action for Haiti. Many organizations encourage individuals and groups to come forward with donations. UNICEF has a website where students can print posters to place around their school to promote donations to Haiti. There are also Facebook and Twitter pages to encourage teens to join in raising awareness. For every dollar donated by individual Canadians to UNICEF, The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will contribute a dollar to UNICEF relief efforts for child victims of the Haiti earthquake. The Red Cross and The Humanitarian Coalition are both in urgent need of Haiti relief donations. I have a few suggestions on how we can help. Each Oakville high school should host a spirit day where every student donates a toonie and wears blue or red (colours of Haiti's flag). All of the donations collected would go to one of these organizations to support children in Haiti during this difficult time. Another suggestion is fundraising for a school concert or event. This is the perfect way to showcase the many talents of high school students and support a good cause. The money raised through ticket sales could go towards building a school for children in Haiti as the majority of the schools in Port-au-Prince have been destroyed. These are just a couple of suggestions. If anyone reading this has any other ideas on how Oakville teens can help Haiti, I urge you to contact your school student council. Let's keep the people who have been affected by the earthquake in Haiti in our hearts and in our daily lives. The calendar can now also be found online at www.halton.ca/waste including a new where residents can type in the name of any searchable database called Halton Regional Meeting Schedule Feb 2, 9:30 a.m. Feb 3, 9:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. www.halton.ca BUY LOCALLY SERVICE LOCALLY SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY 210110 Phone: (905) 825-8088 www.volvoofoakville.com SERVICE DEPARTMENT OPEN SATURDAYS