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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 27, 2013 | 6 Community news is all about you National Newspaper Week is Oct. 6-12. This is an opportune time to remind readers, businesses, government and the community-atlarge exactly why newspapers continue to matter -- because they do. Of course, the primary function of all forms of news media, from the hyperkinetic 140-character dispatches of Twitter to the tactile, hard copy packages delivered to the door of your homes, is to disseminate information quickly and accurately. In the case of community newspapers like us, that role also encompasses a further dimension: we are a re ection of the community we cover. Not only do we provide fair and balanced reporting on the events that shape the neighbourhoods and people who call Oakville home, we also celebrate those who make our community a great place to be and we roll up our sleeves and get involved. When necessary, we exercise the prerogative to challenge the things that need to be challenged. We are here to say that you, and the things important to you, matter. We are the ones who cover school fundraisers, church bazaars, summer corn roasts and Christmas food drives. We run minor league soccer, hockey, baseball, bowling and kart racing reports. We partner with local businesses and associations such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Cancer Society to promote and strengthen the men and women who have chosen Oakville as the place where they live. Our announcements and classi eds contain a ton of information, from local services to public auction notices, to the dates and locations of your friends' stag-and-doe party. We also cover the big things from a distinctly Oakville point of view and devote resources to developing in-depth feature articles and series meant to inform and engage our readers -- all over a cup of coffee. This year, the tag line, "Connected to your community" was added to our masthead. This phrase means more than ful lling our responsibility to bring you the news -- it re ects the dedication of the Oakville Beaver's staff to making Oakville a great place to live and work. Members of the editorial, advertising and administrative staff participate wherever we can: our annual seniors' Christmas gift drive, teams who participate in the annual Terry Fox Run, Big Bike for Heart, Hope in High Heels, and more -- judging contests, speaking at schools, getting our hands dirty at car washes and much more. It is an honour and a privilege to be the community newspaper of record for Oakville -- and we look forward to continuing this partnership for a long time to come. Editorial T O P D O L L A R "Connected to your Community" 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 116 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School received the Marie Agget Bowl in recognition of its fundraising efforts for last year's Oakville Terry Fox Run. The Marie Agget Bowl is presented annually to the school that raises the most per student. In back, from left, Ward 1 Councillor Ralph Robinson, former chair of the Oakville Terry Fox Run, Ward 2 Councillor Pam Damoff, the event's current chair and Paul Glazier, Agget's grandson. Students, from left, Maddy Djuk, Ali Portmann-Munoz, Marisa Della-Maestra, Nimrit Dhillon, Emma Thom and Olivia Belovich. The Oakville run took place on Sunday, Sept. 15. Schools across Oakville are now engaged in their own Terry Fox run events. | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution Re: Oakville residents ring alarm on EMS plan, Oakville Beaver, Sept. 19, 2013 I would like to commend Halton Region's paramedic services for its forward-looking planning in building an ambulance station on Rebecca Street. Feigned concerns about pedestrian safety, noise, and the entirely illogical anxiety of some surrounding the safe haven component are nothing but irrational NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard). It's no secret that our town's popula- Halton's EMS plan is forward-thinking Letters to the Editor CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager tion is continually increasing and aging. With that comes an increase in emergency call volume and a greater dependence on the ambulance service. Oakville has seven re stations, but only three paramedic stations. Improving paramedic response times should be a concern for everyone. Not in my backyard -- until you're the one calling 911. Bjorn Brown, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Re: Know rules of the road and then use them, Oakville Beaver, Sept. 18, 2013 Thank you for speaking up. There have been many times that myself and my dogs have almost been struck by rude cyclists and I am fed up with their attitude. We are lucky there are so many wonderful paths in Oakville to walk on, especially with the dogs. I follow the rules, keep my dogs leashed and pick up after them. Then I get accosted by cyclists, who either yell at me to get out of the way or y by me, yelling at me Pedestrians do have the right-of-way to move. There are a rare few who will ring their bells as warning, asking us to move, and we do. Some are even polite enough to say thank you, but they are truly rare. Cyclists, it is clearly posted at the entrance to every pathway that cyclists are to yield to pedestrians. Last time I looked, yield meant to give way. In other words, you should be giving way to the walkers, not yelling at us to get out of the way. Teri Graham, Oakville Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver. com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.