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

www.oakvillebeover.com jfS & \^o?liaySn»\. S p e c ia l B ro n te R a d ia l B r id g e s e c tio n in s id e Vol. 39 No. 121 A BBA M a n ia ro c k s C e n tre EXPRESS HOTEL SU ITE S Q.E.W . & Bronte Rd 905-847-1000 The arts M e rc e d e s B enz A Metroland Publication WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10,2001 48 Pages 75 Cents (plus GST) Theft of statue puzzles Ukrainian community Bronze likeness o f Taras Shevchenko stolen from park By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF The theft of a unique bronze statue of the Ukraine's greatest son, Taras H. Shevchenko, from Shevchenko Memorial Park on Dundas St. has dev astated the local Ukrainian community and beyond. "We're just devastated to think that anybody would stoop to the level of stealing such a fine piece of art. That it was a gift from the sculptor himself just makes it that much more valuable," said William Harasym, president of the Taras H. Shevchenko Museum & Memorial Park Foundation. Harasym' isn't sure of the statue's value, but its physical stature measures 4-ft. in height and weighs in at 200 lbs. It was the smaller o f two Shevchenko statues at the park. It depicted Shevchenko seated while the other statue, an erect, 11-ft. figure, remains in place. It would take some heavy equip ment to haul the stolen memorial away never mind remove it from its granite pedestal, said Harasym. Oakville Det. Sgt. Norm Ryall said a couple of strong people could potential ly have hoisted it from its resting place and into a pick-up truck. The statue went missing overnight Sept. 30 and its loss was first noticed by park custodian, Mary Prokop. "Mary said she glanced over and didn't believe her eyes. She said it had the effect on her as if she'd seen a corpse," said Harasym explaining that Prokop has been maintaining the flower beds at the base of each statue, since the statues were unveiled at the park in the 1950s. The local Ukrainian community has been working with Halton Regional Police to get word of the theft out to the Canadian Ukrainian community and the wider public. (See `T heft' page A2) Statue of Taras Shevchenko E a s t e n d r e s id e n t s r a lly r e ta in le t t e r to th e ir c a r r ie r Africa's future in hands of youth says Sierra Leone Red Cross official By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF When Doug Turner said he might be transferred to another route after 14 years, homeowners sent a petition to Canada Post By Howard Mozel OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF (i. Photo by Peter C. McCusker Birgit Hayward and Chris Wallace with letter Carrier Doug Turner: they didn't want to lose him to another route after 14 years. "I've adopt ed him as my second father," Turner said. Asked why he gives so freely of him self, Turner shrugs and smiles. "It's easy to do when peo ple are so friendly," he says. "It's a symbiotic rela tionship." W h e n pressed to find the source of his upbeat atti tude and obvi ous caring, T u r n e r explained that it simply comes naturally. "A lot of people are stuck in jobs they don't enjoy. I'm fortunate to have an outdoors job that I certainly do love," he explains. "I've got a real feel for the neighbourhood now." Turner's value to the community came to a head earlier this year when residents caught wind of the possibility that they might lose him. As part of a Canada Post restructuring, some routes became open to bids by letter carriers based on seniority. According to Turner, this could have pre cipitated a domino effect and he might have to be reassigned. ^ Spearheaded by Wallace, a petition of about 75 names was quickly assembled and letters were written. In these missives, homeowners said Turner is a "fine role model for mail carriers," that they were "privileged" to know him and how he was a "vital part of the neighbourhood." Said one letter: "(Turner) has become a friend to most of the people in the area." As it stands now, Turner's route is safe for at least a year. "I was shocked (by the residents' efforts)," he said. "It really touched me." To hear the homeowners tell it, he's more than welcome. Hayward, for example, was impressed when Turner first introduced himself, asked about any special requests and even pointed out a neces sary address correction. "I went to work and bragged about my mail man," laughed Hayward. "He's something else. H e's been exceptional." The feelings are mutual says Turner: "I'm grateful to have such good friends." If the residents on letter carrier Doug Turner's route had their way, Canada Post would have issued a stamp bearing his likeness long ago. Conscientious and affable, Turner has been a welcome fixture along his east Oakville route for the past 14 years by going well above and beyond his formal duties to visit the elderly, wear Hallowe'en costumes and know homeowners by their first names. "If you could wish yourself a mailman, it would be Doug," said Duncan Road resident Birgit Hayward. A fast walker, Turner makes time nonetheless to wave, say hello and chat with seniors, some of whom look forward to his visit as the highlight of their day. After all, he's taken them shopping and participated in their birthday celebrations. Residents also receive Valentine's candies, Easter eggs and even Christmas cards. "He always has a candy for each season," says Duncan Road's Chris Wallace. "H e's a super guy." Turner, a single dad, went so far as to drive an elderly man to see his ailing wife in hospital and after she died, he attended her funeral. One gentle man returns the goodwill by having hot soup or coffee waiting for Turner during inclement weath er and storms. After a decade of war and untold misery, the future of Sierra Leone - all of Africa in fact - is in the hands of the youth, says Emmanuel Tommy. According to the Red Cross of Sierra Leone field officer, older gener ations have simply "failed the conti nent," so it is now up to young people - both in his country and abroad - to re establish decency and peace and to offer support. "There will be a renaissance in Africa through youth," says Tommy, who has seen horrors of war up close and is determined to effect change. Tommy and Canadian Red Cross delegate Christine Tokar were at MacLachlan College in Oakville on Thursday to personally thank its staff and students for their long standing fundraising initiatives and to explain how their efforts do, in fact, make a difference. "All the money the school has raised is absolutely essential in a con crete way," said Tokar. M acLachlan headmaster John Bailey explained that for years students have been quick to rally to the Red Cross in the wake of disaster - $4,000 for New York City relief, for example, or the thousands collected annually from their Spellathon. "That's a lot of money overseas," said Tokar, who explained that $2 could buy a textbook. "The youth (of Sierra Leone) crave to read and write and want to get an education." Easier said than done: for 10 years Sierra Leone (located on the west coast of Africa between Guinea and Liberia) was immersed in a horrific civil war in which 80,000 civilians were killed women and children among them - and another 8,000 deliberately maimed. (See `C hildren' page A8) Single car crash claims life of local man, passenger critical A 33-year-old Oakville man is dead in the wake ,of a single-vehicle crash Friday involving a high performance sports car. According to Halton Regional Police, the accident occurred around 5:20 p.m. when a 2000 Dodge Viper was traveling eastbound on the South Service Road at Wyecroft Road. The Viper driver lost control for an as-yet undetermined reason and his vehicle crossed the westbound lane and entered the north ditch where the right side struck a wooden pole used for bracing a hydro transformer pole. The car came to rest on its right side. The driver, Timothy Lindsay of Oakville, was pronounced dead at the scene. The lone passenger, 25-year-old Omar Cushnie, of Mississauga, was extricated by emergency personnel. Cushnie was then taken by air ambu lance to Sunnybrook Hospital where at press time he remained in critical con dition. The fatality is currently under inves tigation by Constable Rich Solecki. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call 825-4716. I I !,iw **rvw ^ V* it L* l i » p H ^ 1 s® E d ito ria ls .....................................A6 Focus............................... . ..............81 n Entertainment ........... Classified.......................... ..............C6 Business............................ ..............C8 Sports............................... ..............D1 Automotive ............................ D4 Special Supplements: Photo by Peter C. McCusker Home delivery: Party City Partial delivery: Tru Green, On Site Magazine, The Bay, Cashway, Home Depot Boudair Firefighters and ambulance attendants work on an accident victim in this vehicle late Friday afternoon. Dr. Otto Weiglein BSc MD FRCSC Certified Plastic Surgeon with over 15 years experience Member A SPS C S PS A SA PS Breast Liposuction Face Eyes Body Contouring Laser No hospital stay required - all procedures done in our private accredited facility I P eter W atson Jill I N V E S T M E N T S Botox Collagen Hylaform Artecoll Epilight Hair Removal Obagi Skin Health Endermologie Cellulite Repair Leg & Facial Veins Microdermabrasion 905 634 5573 Call Now Or. Weiglein specializes exclusively in Cosmetic Surgery 520 L o c u s t S t ., B u rlin g to n ON L 7 S 1V2 www.cosmedicasurgery.com RETIREMENT PLANNING SPECIALISTS Free C o n s u lta tio n EXPERIENCE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, PUT OUR EXPERIENCE TO WORK FOR YOU! 8 4 2 -2 1 0 0 M J 8 A ., CJJP., R.F.P.. *«>'< «>«»'