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

th ie DECEMBER 2006 Volume 1 Number 9 Created & Published by Observer Publishing of Port Perry 188 Mary Street - Unit 201 Port Perry, Ontario - LOL 1A2 PUBLISHER J. Peter Hvidsten ADVERTISING Tracy Souch PRODUCTION Arlene Walker Barbara Hunt aul Arculus PHONE 905-985-8585 focus @observerpub.ca Inside Focus The Ultimate Fan........4 Santa Interview........... 7 Doctors Honoured ..... 11 Halls Of Worship....... 20 Park Make-over......... 22 Veterans Remember... 27 Our Cover Picture Matt Morrison carves his way down a slope during one of his competitions last winter in this photograph in snowboarding for the past three years and is now ranked third in North America. See story about Matt on page 3. Photo by J.P. Hvidsten EDITORIAL POLICY: Opinions expressed by columnists, contributors and letter writ- Gece) not feseeseasl those of fests en must be signed telephone number (which wil not be pub= lished) included. Requests that a name be withheld will be honoured only if there is a to do so. Errors will be corrected if brought to the editor’s atten- tion, We reserve the right to edit or refuse Publication of any material submitted. ADVERTISING POLICY: The publisher is not Eiata for for is aie te leaded not lessen the value of an Siareeraretta publisher is not liable for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. All claims of error in be allowed for more than one insertion. Editorial Coverage Phone 905-985-8585, or email focus@observerpub.ca Advertising Phone Tracy at 905-441-6252 or 905-985-8585 email focus@observerpub.ca hiistmas é t's official. Christmas, as a word, wish, event, holiday or gift idea, has been re-instated by Walmart’s U.S. division. = Due to a huge backlash Walmart has named their Christmas themed ‘Holiday’ displays and have put the word Christmas back in their advertising, store displays, and last but not least, they are calling a Christmas tree a “Christmas Tree” instead of a “Holiday Tree.” Not that we want to embrace or follow the lead of everything American, but imagine that. Walmart, the world’s largest retailer gets it... and is leading the way back to sanity. would have thought? Could this be the start of other politically-correct silliness also going the way of the dinosaur? We've never understood, especially in Port Perry and countless other towns across Canada, who exactly is offended when wished a “Merry Christmas.” Where are all these people who have forced changes to our greetings and centuries old customs? The benign “Happy Holidays” was meant to put other faiths and nationalities at ease, lest the word “Christmas” make them feel unwanted, or better yet, not included. But Christmas is not just another holiday. The birth of Christ has always been a major religious celebration in Canadian life. We are, after all, a Christian country and although many of us celebrate different faiths, the spirit remains the same. Port Perry is not exactly a multicultural hot bed. We can't think of very many people in this town, or many other towns for that matter, who would be offended by Christmas trees, Christmas cards, or simply being wished a “Merry Christmas. Those who have rooted for the “inclusive- ness” of benign language did all of us, including those who have imi ated to our country, a great disservice. Christmas, while not celebrated by all panadians, can at least be appreciated as a part of our culture. Its past, present and fine must be preserved as a much-loved tradition. This year, as always, we here at Focus on Scugog would like to extend to all of our readers a very Merry Christmas. We hope, as you sit by your Christmas tree on Christmas morning, the spirit of the season is with you and your family. Aiba bectle 2 basele of the holiday season begins, we at Focus On Scugog would like to take a moment to wish all of our friends, ie FOCUS - DECEMBER 2006 3