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8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, Augusi 19, 2003 sisit us at www.karensfloweshopcom 487 Laurier Aue. 878-2881 q /- Armitage's friendly face missed at Loblaws By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion ith a sparkle tin his ~JJeyes and ant infec- YVtioussnile that belies his 49 years. Neil Arniîaite told story aller story of his decade working for the Milton Loblaws. Hoss hle %A as i enia ac\i sthii usnaitne on it \\ lien lie ietired iii laic j ttie Hou 1t reids N ou ILI siop h tiicht. Hoss li.e cuilected cais .tid pîtslied l tetti to their pi Oper îîl.ces cie in o n hinîte. Aithougli lits s' ords v uere liard tIo tîake ouii. the spiriti iieach anid e\ et\s sit 5 aiiie îhrough ciearl\ and theltitie iof stiuties proved utiversal. Mr. Armita'e. v liii lits L)iiv,s Syndrome,. s îust oneioi Coiuitiitiu Livinîg North Halion's slicCess stoies particuiarlv when it cormes tii the rganiiîa tion s suppuritse eîîîpiîîvieit prî gran.iio which Mr. Armitage \vas a pari. 'Nei 5l agentiemaît. said Jackie Curry. a manager ai Communtnits, Living. "lus everyhody kîoshtm. heîsseen i hs \ssork-- ing ai Lobiavus attd his churcli. [lte ioes Ioi al the social stuli."* Mr. Armitage's presence hecanie an eseti more faîn i ai si-lltai outîd Mi lion- and Ontario -ii May Ahlen lie heuame a poster persoli for Coiniii iiiy Lis ng Monih. Hîs srniliîglace- pliogiaphed ai Lobiass vas seen on a TV coîmmer- cial as weii as posters. He was aisti pre- sented wiih a cheque lor Comnuniy Living ai a Blue Jays game. Aiihough Mr. Armitage said he enjoyed workîng ai Lobiaws anid iked the people there, he said he's happy thai he no longer has 10 gel weî and cold pushing caris in the rain and snow. Not really retired And, he explained, hes flot really reiired. H-e still works ai Community Living's Horizon Paekaging - where clients eam a small wage doing ihings like packîng bat- teries in boxes - as he bas for the pasi 25 years. "h gives ihem a purpose to gel up in the momning," saîd Heather Thompson. man- ager of volunteer services. ot Horizon Packaging. Evidenily. Mr. Armitage is no ordinary individual, althougb he seems t0 be the only one who doesn't realize ibis. How the innocence remaîns in bis smiie. nobody knows, sînce Mr. Armnitages lite hasn'î been one of rainbows and puppy dogs. Quite the contrary. At the tender age of three, Mr. Armitage was placed in an institution, where he remained until he was 218 years old. Fontunaiely, when he leh. he was able 10 become a productive member of bis com- munity. Mr. Armitage moved iii Milton trom Georgetown in 1991 and is housed wiîh Communîîy Living's aduli residential serv- ices. He lives in a basement suite wiîh staff' and other residenîs on the upper loor. Although Communiîy Living North Halton provides a bevy of services 10 help people wiîh developmeniai dîsabîlîtiesI ie happy, proîductive lives, il's up Io each individuai bo make thai choice. said John Bedeli. executive direcior of Communiîy Living Norih Haltoti. "Neil bas made the Most of the opportu- nities he's had since he gol oui of the insti- tution." lie said. "lits a credît tb Neil and the people lie works with." Mr. BedelI said Cîunîmunîîy Living's supponîive employînenî prograni seeks 10 match the tîhilities of their clients %viih whaî empltîyers îîeed. Once the client is emiployed. Conîmunîîy Living monitors the situatiton and "tries ici make sure the reiationship is as sîrong as possible." Mr. Bedeil said inîeracîing wiîh the pub- lic has been important for Mr. Armitage as il is for ail developm-entally dîsabied people. "There's noîhing ihat enabies a greaier self' esieem than 10 have (people) in their lives other ihan ihose who are paid îo bc there"- said Mr. Bedeil, adding that ai Mr. Annitage's retiremeni pariy, there was "a genuine regard for Neil." Communiîy Living North Haiton helps 1501 people in Georgetowsn, Acton aîîd Milton.its services range from drop-in centres and other recreational activities ici resîdential and pre-sehool iniegraton sers- tees. SteplîaniieTliî'.ç ai itbc' reac/iîd t N eit1 Armitage, who has D o wns Syndrome, turns 50 next month and recent- ly retired after more than 10 years of service at Mi1Iton's Loblaws. Photo by HARRISON SMITH keepng North Natin tmdProgramming Schedule - Tuesday, Aug l9th - Monday, August 25th, 2003 www.cogeco.ca 8OO0pm Halton His Counçil 8:0Opm Milon Community Fund -8:0oOpm Halton Region Council 8:OOpm Main Street - (Augusi 111th) (August 131h) Oakvilie Jazz Festival NORIS HA.J.TN SIUDIO Laurier Plaza 500 Laurier Avenue Milton, ON L9T 4R3 905-78-306Pluqged Ii! WiI Kehiri September Zii