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Thse Canadien Champion, Friday, June 4, 1 90 - 7 +O UR READERS WRITE Seniors have needs, too -- please don't forget us (The following Setter was addressed ta Mayor Gord Krantz and councillors, and a copy wasfiled with The Champion.) Dear Editor: This letter is in reference to tise public meeting t attended Wednesday, May 26 at E.C. Drury Higis Scisool. If I liad been confident enougis to have spoken tisat evening and if thle opportunity isat come earlier in tise evening wisen most senior citizens hai flot departeti hecause of tise late hour and feel- ing of defeat, I would like to have spoken in favour of tisis mucis- needed aduit lifestyle development. I now feel compelieti to write this letter to voice my opinion and concernas. No, I wasn't soliciteti, as someone atateti. Yea, t do liste to, aee any trees cut down andi tise las of park- land, but we can atili enjoy tise opennesa of tise fairgrounds andi peacefuineas of tise Mili Pond and park. I need a hiome in town. Find me s suitable retirement hiome wliere 1 have tise convenience of nesrby shiopping, a isospital, banking, recreationai facilities (tennis, awimmng, wslking patis, Carole Sh'arpe was off base, biking paths) and more. With this development. they would be right here. We don't need a recreational hall, fancy gates and lighting. Without these we should see affordable homes. Yes, I would like to see at least haif as many homes on this property and also better roadl access. Those so against this type of aduit lifestyle homes in the area should consider the needs of seniors. They sisould flot be so, self- ish and appreciate tise years this areas lias been at their disposai. They aren't getting any younger and soon wiil need our homes as we move on. We would lie good neighbours. 1 now live in tise country. We put up with duat, mud and tractor noise as tise fields are being cultivated in preparation of aeeding. We grow food, raise animais for town people. Tise inconvenience is well wortis the final outcome. We survive year after year. I am sure they can survive thse inconvenience while tise homes are heing built. Please do not think we are not as important as the 300 plus peo- pie as tisis meeting wiso do flot want tise development. Consider our concerna sand vote with a clear conscience. Mary Jan Wlngfleld Georgetown Don'Pt tear down forest, begs eight-year-old girl <lhefollowfttg lefter way addressedtio Mayor Gonrd Kraitz and counçillor, ad a eopy was filed wil>. 77he Chamio&) D« Eo 1 don't want you to taise down tie fooest behind E.C. Drusy Hsils Scisool. Thia's tie only forestl1lusow behind ascool, so do't take it dsswn Animals live lan tisai S'ort andi if you taise itclown tise ani- mais will hiave no plae tolive and they wll die. We neeti tise forest to stssdy nature ai school andi savethe environineflt. Please buid your isouses on tise land tisat is arounti my town but not in my foreat in town. Shelby Richardson,O8 Milton, says interpreter for the deaf Dear Editor: Tisis letter is regarding tise May 18 story 'Tiey worry deaf face double standard' by reporter Irene Gentie. Carole Sharpe lias done a disservice to tise deaf community because of lier ignorance. The buis of tise article about deaf people being discriminateti against because of tiseir deafness is justifiable and a situation deaf people do face. Tise meeting planned witli tise Milton Deaf Action Group (MDAG) is a fabulous ides. Unfortunately, tisat's wliere lier brul- liance ends. Being deaf does not mean there is a language impairment. Deaf people have a language, American Sign Language (ASL), whicis does not mean it is American. As with English. which is spoken in many countries and not juat Englanti, ASL is used by deaf people in Norths America. Canadians, except francophone deaf wlio use LSQ, use ASL, witli tome différence in regional dialecta. ASL lias been recognized as a language witis grammar, struc- ture and miles tisat need to be adhered to like any other language. Ontanio passed a bill whuch states ASL is a language of instruc- tion for students who are deaf. Since ASL lias been recognized and useti in tise education aystem literacy levels have improved Tise reason for this improvement is that ASL is a fuliy accessi- ble language to deaf children, giving tliem a language founidation andi a way to communicate. Once a foundation in one language is establisheti a second Ian- guage, written Englisis, can be leaneti. It is important to remember that for a deaf person Englisis is tlieir second language. Tlierefore tliey are bulinguai (in some cases multilingual), wisicli is an asset tisat people overlook. Deaf people are not only employable pliysicaily but intellectu- ally too. (A point Ms Sharp faileti to mention). Ask any employer wlio lias had tise experience of liaving a deaf co-op student. Deaf people are under-employed. Part of tise reason is lack of knowledge and understanding among employers. Tise meeting sisat lias been set up by MDAG is an excellent start to gaining knowledge and awareness. Ms Sliarp sisoulti have left it at tliat and not spoken about thinga that ase lias no background in. It is an insuit to tise deaf communi- ty. I liope this lias clarifieti tise erroneous information that was printed in thse article recently. Sharon Wilson ASUIEngIish interpretar Milton l'HF, CANADIAN CHAMPION j