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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, May 9, 2014 | 6 As we kicked off 2014, we wrote in this space that Canadians need to step up when it comes to organ donation. In the Jan. 23, 2014, Oakville Beaver , we revisited Oakville resident Jennifer Malabar, who received a kidney transplant, thanks to an organ donation from her husband, Hitesh Patel. The Crown Counsel with the Ontario Ministry of Labour is doing well -- as are her husband and their young daughter, not to mention the couple's son, Sage, born last November. After getting back on her feet, Malabar became among the biggest supporters of the Oakville Be a Donor campaign supported by local transplant recipients like herself, Town councillors and others. Tomorrow that campaign will host its inaugural Oakville Transplant Walk/Run Saturday (May 10) in an effort to support organ and tissue donation awareness. The one-kilometre, 5-K or 10-K event through Oakville's streets will take place rain or shine at 10 a.m. at the Oakville Curling Club, 224 Allan St. "This inaugural event is our way of reaching out to the people of Oakville to raise awareness about the importance of registering as an organ donor. Most importantly, talk to your loved ones today, and then take a few minutes to go online to register at www.beadonor. ca... every new donor registration gives new hope and a better chance to save the lives of Ontarians waiting for transplant," said Julie Pehar, race director and member of Oakville Be A Donor. Participants will be wearing green leis on the day. Green is the colour of hope for the campaign. Registration costs $30 per person over 14 and can be done online at http://goo.gl/DPl4Sy. Proceeds support the Oakville Be A Donor campaign. The volunteer group has been active for three years after rallying around Malabar and her challenge to Town council members to become registered donors following her kidney transplant. The group is informally structured and open to everyone. It has been active in raising awareness about the importance of organ donation and the need for more people to become registered donors. It has been represented at Midnight Madness, the GO station, Santa Claus parade, at schools, Oakville Place, Town Hall, and the pages of this newspaper. One of the major hurdles it faces is a misconception that the old system -- where people `signed' their organ donor card and carried it in their wallet with their driver's licence -- meant they are registered donors, but they are not. Today that the donor card system has been replaced with an electronic registry, a system with advanced capability to improve the entire process. To register, the person must be aged 16 or older, have a valid photo health card or the red and white health card, and can register their consent online at the Be A Donor website, or by visiting a ServiceOntario centre. As well, it is critical to share your decision with your family so they can understand, support and respect your decision in the future. As of May 5, there were 1,520 people in Ontario alone waiting for life-saving transplants and 100 of them are under age 30. One donor can save up to eight lives and help up to 75 others, according to the Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN). Maybe you can help. Oakville, Be a Donor B Editorial R I D G E A N "Connected to your Community" N E ? 447 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 52 | Number 56 Y O 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 ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production The St. Dominic Marathon Bridge Club celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Quality Inn/Hampton's to mark the fact some of the members have been playing bridge together for half a century. From left, in front, JoAnne Oatridge and Rita McCall. In back, from left, Jeannine Sweeney and Denise Casey. The group was founded by Kay Leech in 1964. Members began playing in Leech's basement/family room and later held Pot Luck nals in St. Dominic's Parish Hall. The group has made donations to local charitable organizations every year funded by the membership, whose longest standing member is McCall. Anyone interested in playing with the group can contact Jackie Brown at 905-849-0779.| photo by Inger MacKenzie - special to the Beaver SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Letter to the Editor Habitat for Humanity at work here at home Most people know Habitat for Humanity is an international non-pro t organization that helps families around the world nd affordable housing. What some may not know is that Habitat also supports individuals and families on a local level, right here in our communities. Habitat for Humanity Halton (also known as Habitat Halton) is the local af liate of Habitat Canada, working in all ve municipalities of Halton (Acton, Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville) to alleviate poverty for more than 5,000 residents who lack access to affordable housing. Because Habitat Halton operates on such a local level, the great majority of its funds are sent directly to projects that build homes and foster nancial security for people living here in Halton. Funds are not sent to other Habitat af liates, nor are resources received from them. This means that if you donate to Habitat for Humanity, the af liate to which you send your contribution will use the funds in its own local area. Habitat Halton is the only af liate that builds homes and opportunities Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association for hardworking, low-income families in the Halton area. If you would like to support Habitat for Humanity's efforts to alleviate the cycle of poverty in your community, please be sure to send your contributions to Habitat for Humanity Halton speci cally. Habitat Halton does not compete with other af liates; it only wishes to clarify the way in which its af liate system works. To make a donation, please visit habitathalton.ca. Together, we can make a real and lasting difference for present and future generations in Halton. -- submitted by Roy Campbell, a volunteer writer/editor on Habitat for Humanity Halton's marketing committee 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, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 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.