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A Metroîand Community Newspaper Vol. 138 No. 35 Tuesday, May 6, 1997 40 Pages 75~ <GST included) Aliendiale's irerie Pegg plants a kes on Cern Jackson Fniday. veMPP J«kson bearing gifts By STrEVE LeBLANO Special to The Champion Allendale residents - and their Halton/Hamilton Wentworth counterparts - received a sub- stantial shot in the am from the provincial govemment Frtday. Seniors and staff of the Milton- based facility burst into applause shortly after 11 a.m. when Burlington MPP Cam Jackson announced a reinvestment of $2.7 million in community-based long- terni care services. Mr. Jackson, Minister Respon- sible for Seniors, said more than 1,780 people in Halton and HamiltonfWentworth wiJl benefit f rom the financial tsoost. ..We arc putting patients first w ith this reinvestment," Mr. Jackson said. "Renewing our health care systero means that money currently tied up in admin- istration, duplication and overhead in hospitals will be reinves 'ted in comînunity services for patients." The Ministry of Health will shell out $622,222 to, provide supportive housing services and expand the adult day progra at Allendale. A dozen community-based seniors curretstly enjoy services through the adult day program. Facility administrator Margaret Strecker said anticipated funding will allow another 16. to parlici- pate. "Adult day services offer seniors a variety of activities as well as giving fulltime caregîvers somne relief," Ms Strecker explained. "The program will *see ALLENDALE on pfge 9 Young man races against dock to tînd birth mother By STEVE LeBLANC I Special to The Champion Donny Wurr ýis hoping to see his birth relatives -while he stili can. The Milton-born 23-year-old has suffered from glauco- ma since his early teens. He has as a result of the disease. With the eventuality of going com- pletely blind hanging over him, Mr. Wurr has begun a campaign to ftnd hisb -iological family. "I want to find themn very badly," he stressed. "I think about it every day." Just as anxîous for his search to reach (ruition are adopted parents Judith and David Wurr. who have supported and assisted him every step of the way. The couple became guardians of Donny when he was just three months old. Tbey also adopted his older sister Sherry, and Mrs. Wurr was adopted herself. As a result, she appreciates her son's wish. "We told Donny he was adopted when he was live years old. We didn't want to keep any secrets (rom him," Mrs. Wurr recalled. The (amily now lives in Guelph, where Donny works on car parts at Arc Industries. "He came to us this past Christmas and said he really wanted to know where his birth relatives are and leamn about his roots," Mrs. Wurr said. "Botb his father and I were totally behind the idea, right (rom the stant. already lost sight in his left eye very badly. 1 think about it every day>" Having heen adopted mysel(, Idon't think you can figure out who you are until you know where you came (rom.", Whi le they stil11 don't know the bi rth mother's first or last namne, the Wurrs bave been ofered a (ew pieces o( the puzzle by the Children's Aid Society. Donny's mother is 47 years old and her birlhday is in August. At the time Photo by GRAHAM PAIN of bis birth, bis matemnal grand(athcr John Josie displays a disabled parking warning sign, a new initit was a sel(-employed trucker and bis tive in Halton ta discourage drivers from illegally using handicappe mother was a service station attendant. spaces. She also gave bîrtb to two other sons in 1969 and 1971, the second o( whm heisbeieedtohae ew. are, parking bandits in handicapped spaces Hospital meeting this week Concerns about bealth care restrucîuring and how il may affect Milton District Hospital will be the topic of debate aI a meet- ing Ibis Tbursday (May 8). Healih Care Night in Milton aI the Milton Optimist Centre, 311 Commercial St., will address the issue. The public is invited to attend the 7 p.m. event spearheaded by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 815. On hand will be hospital off i- cials, polilicians and represenla- lives of bealth care agencies. For more information, contact Duncan Curnie al 878-5998. By STEVE LeBLANC Special ta The Champion Halton motorisîs who park illegally in handicapped spaces will now feel a backlash trom those they're cbeating. Disabled drivers have recently been empowered in their (ight to protect their parking spots - through wam- ing tags endorsed by regional counicil. In addition to the risk o( a $150 tick- et from a bylaw en(orcement officer, drivers using handicapped spots face having a waming sign stuck to their windshield. Organized this past winter and intro- duced two weeks ago, the disabled parking wamîing program ta meant to assiat with bylaw en(orcement, not replace il. With wideapread violation across the region and many drivers in and out of parking spaces in a matter o( min- utes, it's extremely di(ficult (or police to catch ail] o( the o((enders. "We're letting these people (who park illegally) know that we're watch- ing tbem," said Milton's John Josie, o( the Canadian Diabetes Association. 'Me program was initiated by Carol McPetrie of the Halton Multiple Sclerosis Society, (ollowing some (rustrating incidents trying to visit ber dentiat." Mr. Josie - the only local participant in the program to date - eses DON'T HOG on page 4 M1ltil Jr A Metroland Community Newspaper Vol. 138 No. 35 Tuesday, May 6,1997 40 Pages 750 (GST included) a- d