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

Wednesday, October 3, 2001 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER B5 OTMH nurses found themselves too close for comfort in Washington D.C. continue." to take care of people. It was hard to just People were frantically trying to stand by and feel completely helpless." phone home on their cells or the pay "We stood outside the hotel main Thank God they're back! Nancy phones. Dahmer managed to contact her doors for a few minutes later that after Dahmer and Patricia Franklin, husband after only 45 minutes, but it noon. All subways and buses were shut Registered Nurses, from the Heart took Franklin over down and the streets Function Clinic at Oakville Trafalgar two hours to reach "Americans, were deserted. It was Memorial Hospital (OTMH) found her family. "We just Canadians, people very eerie. We did themselves in Washington, D.C. on needed to hear their from all over the not know what else Sept. 11th, the day America was voices and tell them world-we all was going to happen how much we needed to be together. attacked by terrorists. or whether it was all They were attending the Heart loved them," said There were no over," recalled borders, no colours, Failure Society's 5th Scientific Meeting Franklin. Franklin. "The held at the Marriott Wardman Park Dahmer asked no races or language silence was broken barriers. We were all Hotel, located about five minutes from her husband to let by military heli in this together - so the White House and ten minutes from their co-workers at united by the pain copters and jets, and the Pentagon. the hospital know and horror of it all. " Nancy Dahmer sirens. Somewhere "We were so excited about the cut that they were both .............................. in the background ting edge research this International okay. you could hear someone crying." Conference would provide on all aspects "Our greatest fear was the fourth "At first you're in shock and then you of Heart Failure," recalled Franklin. hijacked plane which was unaccounted try to be strong for the others. But it "Washington was such a beautiful city. for. We figured it was headed for the the hysteria, the emotion and the sadness We flew over the Pentagon on our way White House or Air force 1. We all gath of the day- all finally gets to you," in." ered in the main lobby in front of one of explained Dahmer. As Dahmer was walking through the the now many TV's," said Dahmer. "It happened to me when I heard my main lobby of the hotel around 9:45 am "Americans, Canadians, people from all eldest daughter's voice. She and I had on Tuesday, she noticed a huge crowd of over the world-we all needed to be visited the World Trade Center together people gathered around a television - together.. There were no borders, no this summer," recalled Dahmer "Try to some clutching their cells to their ears - colours, no races or language barriers. appreciate the horror and fear o f all others frantically trying to dial out. We were all in this together- so united by those people on the plane when they "I heard a woman ask someone at the the pain and horror of it a ll." realized that their plane had been other end of a cell phone. `Did you hear "There were so many sad stories," hijacked." that the World Trade Center has been recalled Franklin. "Some people were Since there was nothing they could hit?' Then she looked at me and said worried about a loved one who might help with, the Canadians at the confer emphatically. `How can you be so calm? have been caught in the tragedy. People ence met to plan their return home. Don't you know what has just hap cried and consoled each other, reaching Pharmaceutical company, pened?'," recalled Dahmer. "I stared at out to one another with comfort and GlaxoSmithKline, chartered a bus and the set in horror trying to take it all in. compassion". even made hotel arrangements for those The second plane hit - it was unbeliev When they saw the Red Cross who had destinations beyond Toronto. ably horrifying." Bulletin on television, calling for blood, The group left on Wednesday morning "It took me a minute to put it all Dahmer tried to set up a blood donor at 9:30 a.m., and arrived at the Toronto's together- to realize that I was witnessing clinic in the hotel. She talked to three Airport Terminal 3 at 11p.m. a calculated hit on America," recalled levels of bureaucracy at the Red Cross "We were lucky to get through the Dahmer. .............................. as well as the border in less than two hours. The driver "It all seemed "Somepeople were was not sure how long he could keep C a n a d i a n surreal. I stood there worried about a Consulate, only to driving, so we kept calling ahead to see in shock as every loved one who might be told that a blood which border sites were open. We ended one around me was have been caught in donor clinic could up getting across at the Peace Bridge at sobbing, or crying the tragedy, people not be facilitated at Fort Erie," explained Franklin. "The hysterically." she cried and consoled lineups were astounding for trucks but the hotel. said. "Then the each other, reaching "With the chaos, they were more lenient with buses Pentagon was hit out to one another they could not get especially since we were all Canadians." and I thought we are with comfort and the people or the "Thursday and Friday were really too close for com compassion." equipment to us. We tough days. All I wanted to do was cry. Patricia Franklin fort." were advised to stay I couldn't turn the TV off. Maybe it was At this point .............................. .............................. p u t," said Dahmer. post-traumatic stress. I am not an Determined to help, Dahmer reached American citizen and I knew no one per Dahmer went to find Franklin, whose session was just taking a break. out to four of the hospitals in sonally who had died," explained "As the news rippled through the Washington and offered help. Dahmer. "But I couldn't help thinking of " I told them we had over 2,000 cap the horror and the helplessness ....so I crowd, we could see the horror on our American colleague's faces," recalled tive nurses and doctors all willing to gave blood. I would have been willing to Franklin. "Everyone was devastated and help if need be," she recalled. "We're wait 10 hours to give a pint. I just had to conference speakers were too upset to all healthcare professionals and we want do something." SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER H a lt o n L in e n O u t l e t " 1 1 1 By Zita Taksas-Raponi COMFORTER _ w a m Assorted Designer Label Comforters - and more! 5 0 %-7 0 %off ^ Regular Retail Halton Home assorted comforters an additional 50% off already reduced price. (between D o rval D riv e and 4th Line) O A K V IL L E 4 8 1 N o r th S ervice R d .W . ( 905 ) 847-2274 M ON. - FRI. I0 A .M .- 5;30 P.M. SATU RD AY I0A.M .-6 P.M. _______ SUNDAY. I2A.M - 5 P.M. Voted Oakville's Best Linen Shop te a m s ta k e s h a p e w ith e x c itin g c h o k e s ... HNi DYNASTY BATHS THE NAME THAT STANDS FOR INTEGRITY, HONESTY AND VALUE . ..when ijou visit c D y n a $ ty B a th s S. SERVICE R HARVESTER R our showroom at: 4 3 8 0 S o u th S e r v ic e Rd. U n it II (between W alkers Line & Appleby Line) 9 0 5 - 639-8409 T ies, th r u Fri. 9 -5 :3 0 , S a t. 9 -4 , C lo se d S im . & M o n CONGRATULATIONS HALTON TEACHERS! Beaver The Halton Catholic District School Board and the Halton District School Board commend you on W o r ld T e a c h e r s ' D a y , www.oakvillebeaver.com O c to b e r 5 ,2 0 0 1 . CORRECTION NOTICE An incorrect photo ran in the real estate section o f the Septem ber 26th edition o f T h e Oakville Beaver. W e apologize to both the Marian M ontessori School and to Royal LePage for the inconvenience this caused. Thank you for your contributions to our excellent education systems. Your leadership, com mitm ent and dedication to improving student learning are truly appreciated. As an educator in Halton, you make a significant difference to the lives of our students. Thanks for participating in the CIBC Run for the Cure. Thanks to everyone w ho made a difference on Sunday, September 30th. In our 10th year, thousands o f people across Canada participated, raising over $12 million fo r the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. As a national sponsor, we at Ford w ould like to thank you. % 'W S K M M W S CORRECTION For our 8-Page All Furniture & Major Appliances pre-print (Sale Prices End Thurs, Oct. 4/01) (FAM101FAM101) PAGE 3 - Bottony Rug (Stock #02/50059) has been discontinued. Item no longer available. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused our customers. o f 'Canada. ^ ( t_nuted Al Bailey Chair of the Board Ethel Gardiner Chair of the Board w w w .fo rd.ca Lou Piovesan Director of Education Dusty Papke Director of Education