The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

C2 - The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e sd a y F e b ru a ry 5, 2003 March of Dimes gives independence By Tom Bartsiokas S P E C IA L TO T H E B EA V ER The first and last person Stephen Cull sees everyday is an Ontario March of Dimes' employee. In fact, ever since his accident, the charitable organization has been an integral part of his day-today life. Whether it's to help him get out of the bed in the morning or to help pre pare a meal for him, Ontario March of Dimes' Attendant Services workers have helped Stephen regain his inde pendence. " I am so appreciative of what Ontario March of Dimes does and has been doing for me." says the 39-yearold Oakville resident. "1 live independ ently thanks to Ontario March of Dimes." In 1991. Cull's life changed forever when he was involved in a tobogganing accident. His injuries were so severe that doctors did not know whether or not he would ever recover, but he did thanks to the tremendous support he received from his friends and family. Today. Stephen is living independ ently. and on his own. overcoming the quadriplegia that has left him using a wheelchair. With the daily support he receives from Ontario March of Dimes' Attendant Services, Cull has achieved a quality of life that he never thought was possible. " I 'm the luckiest guy in the world." he says. " I know people who sustained His care is also made possible by the an injury similar to mine that didn't support of the Ministry of Health, have the support from the onset." Through their Attendant Services, which funds 100 per cent of the Ontario March of Dimes assists people Attendant Care Program. Without the with activities of daily living such as government's continued financial sup personal grooming, dressing, meal port, Cull - and others in his position would not get the care preparation, laundry, they need. Through " I'll never be able to housekeeping and Ministry of Health banking, just to name a pay back Ontario March funding, 1,700 people few. of Dimes for what they across the province are Ontario March of have done for me the getting the care they Dimes is the largest need, but many more service provider of last 12 years. Without are still waiting for governm ent-funded them my day doesn't funding. For those who attendant care services even start." are unable to access in Ontario, providing government funding, services throughout the · Stephen Cull Ontario March of province - including Oakville where the organization has a Dimes does offer a fee for serv ice alter native. supportive housing unit for people with For more than 50 years. Ontario physical disabilities. March of Dimes has been there, helping Cull lives in the Jean and Howard Caine Apartments, built by the Ontario people with physical disabilities regain March of Dimes Non-Profit Housing their independence. Whether it's Corporation to allow people with phys through their Independent Living ical disabilities to live independently. Services or its many other programs, The supportive housing unit is home to Ontario March of Dimes answers the 24 people with physical disabilities, public's call for assistance. January was Ontario March of who receive around the clock care, 24 Dimes Month and canvassers have been hours a day and seven days a week. The knocking on doors across Ontario trying building is located in downtown to raise money for programs that are not Oakville near Lake Ontario. " I 'll never be able to pay back government funded. This year, March of Dimes is hoping Ontario March of Dimes for what they have done for me the last 12 years." to raise $77,000 in Oakville. Last year, the organization raised $68,000 locally. says Cull. " Without them my day does n't even start." (S e e March' page C3) Peter C. McCusker · Oakville Beaver Stephen Cull and M arch of Dimes' Attendant Services w orker Celia Zelaya. Nottinghill Co-operative Preschool March Break YMCA Programs M arch 1 0 - 1 4 , 2° ° 3 Babysitter Training 11-16 years World Wide Sports Camp 5-9 years Co-ed Basketball Camp 9-11 & 12-15 years - Adventure Tour 8-13 years Future Kids Computer Camps 5-8 & 8-12 years Ski Esprit Programs 9-17 years , 0 t TBC (1ST TOMOt*Oyl OPEN HOUSE for the 2 0 0 3 /2 0 0 4 school year. Saturday, February 8 - 9 a.m. -12 noon Provides Parents with an opportunity to become involved in their child's preschool education. Energetic, enthusiastic ECE-trained teachers · A safe, nurturing environm ent for ages 2 to 5 · Two-m om ing, three-morning and three-afternoon programs geared towards individual age groups · Five-afternoon JK program · Call or drop into the YMCA at 4 1 0 Rebecca Street for all the exciting details! W atch for Y Camp Poster in Friday, February 7 Oakville Beaver YMCA o f O akville W c b u ild stro n g kids, s tro n g fam ilies, stro n g co m m u n ities. 410 Rebecca Street, Oakville, ON L6K 1K7 Tel 905-845-3417 Fax 905-842-6792 E-mail: customerservice@oakville.ymca.ca ·* www.ymcaofoakville.com 1469 Nottinghill Gate (in Glen Abbey United Church) 905-827-1442 OAKVILLE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Its N ot Only Our Aim to Provide Quality Education...but to Deliver it! · An academ ic school where C hristian morals and values are taught and modelled · A student body that ranks in the top 2 0 % on Canada's national C A T 3 tests (43 students in the top 5 % and 13 students in the top 1 % in the nation). · A science program that produces regional science fair w inners every year (2 O C S students represented H am ilton/H alton region at the Canadian Cham pionships in Saskatchewan). · A thletic teams that compete in 9 different sports, starring as early as grade 2 (Cham pionship basketball teams the past 3 years). · C lubs that compete regionally and provincially in spelling bees, speech meets and debating com petitions. · A music program that trains vocal & instrum ental groups that represent the school at different com m unity functions. · A fam ily atmosphere w ith 275 students. · · C h allen g in g C u rricu lu m - Appleby's M iddle School introduces Grade 7 and 8 students to the challenges of Appleby's academ ic and co-curricular programme. Advanced A cadem ics - The M iddle School academ ic programme includes m usic, visual arts, three international languages in addition to French (G erm an. M andarin and Spanish). Accelerated program m es in m athem atics and French. Hom e Form s - Students w ork in sm all classes and meet daily in th e ir Home Form s. Form Teachers assist students w ith the transition to Appleby life, answering questions, supporting students academ ically and com m unicating w ith parents. W ell-ro u n d ed students - Students jo in in age-appropriate activities, choosing from a wide variety of athletics teams, arts discip lines and recreational clubs. Technology- - IB M ThinkPad com puter for every student as part of e.school@applebyr'1. Middle School Open House Saturday, Februaiy 15 , ?oo3 10 a .m . to ^ p . m . OPEN HOUSE Thursday, February 6, 2003 7 p.m. - 8:30p.m. A t O ak v ille C h ris tia n School o u r m ission is: · · · "Nurturing Excellence in a Christ-Centred Academic Environment" Appleby College uses the Secondary School Adm ission Test (SSA T ) as its entrance exam. For more inform ation on the exam, visit www.ssat.org/ontario. Oakville Christian School 112 Third Line, Oakville w w w .appleby.on.ca (905) 825-1247 A P P LE B Y C O LLEG E 5 4 0 I-akeshore Road W est. O ak ville. O n ta rio , CAN A D A, L 6 K 3 P t