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Stouffville Sun-Tribune n www.yorkregion.com n Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, 6 Fax: 905-640-8778 905-640-2612 EDITORIAL ADVERTISING Classified: 1-800-743-3353 Fax: 905-640-8778 905-640-2612 DISTRIBUTION 905-294-8244 Editorial Editor Jim Mason jmason@yrmg.com O General Manager John Willems Editor in Chief Debora Kelly OPINION LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Have your say, stouffville 4What do you think of these issues or others? E-mail letters to the editor to jmason@yrmg.com on Hoover Park and Reeves Way. My husband addressed a letter to your fellow member of council, Rob Hargrave, that spoke of the people who do not obey the speed limit on Reeves Way. Do you also not realize young children get easily distracted? And someone of authority should be there to help them cross the road correctly and enforce the traffic lights? Perhaps a death of a child would help make you realize the crossing guards are necessary for the health and safety of all children. Director, Distribution Tanya Pacheco Director of Business Administration Robert Lazurko Director, Classified/Real Estate Advertising Debra Weller 6290 Main St. Stouffville, ON. L4A 1G7 www.yorkregion.com Director, Production Jackie Smart Director, Operations Barry Black Publisher Ian Proudfoot Advertising Manager Stephen Mathieu smathieu@yrmg.com Advertising Children need guards even at traffic lights Re: Mayor questions need for crossing guards at lights, Sept. 20. The following letter was written to WhitchurchStouffville Mayor Wayne Emmerson: I am very disappointed in your view that crossing guards may not be necessary for the intersections of Reeves Way Boulevard and Hoover Park Drive and at Hoover Park and Ninth Line. I am not in accordance with your disapproval of the crossing guards. I feel as a parent with my child attending one of the two new schools near these intersections, the crossing guard is necessary even though there are traffic lights there. Drivers do not always follow the laws and rules of the road. Have you not been out lately? There is tons of traffic Marketing Manager Mike Banville mbanville@yrmg.com Administration Regional Office Manager Melanie Attridge mattridge@yrmg.com York Region Media Group community newspapers The Sun-Tribune, published every Thursday and Saturday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 100 community publications across Ontario. The York Region Media Group includes The Liberal, serving Richmond Hill and Thornhill, Newmarket Era, Aurora Banner, Vaughan Citizen, Markham Economist & Sun, Stouffville Sun-Tribune, Georgina Advocate, Bradford West Gwillimbury Topic, beingwell and yorkregion.com. Anna Privitera Stouffville MADD York Region needs a little volunteer help A LETTERS POLICY The Sun-Tribune welcomes your letters. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must include a daytime telephone number, name and address. The Sun-Tribune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space. Letters to the Editor, The Sun-Tribune 6290 Main St. Stouffville, ON L4A IG7 j ma s o n @ yr m g . c o m Ontario Press Council ONTARIO PRESS COUNCIL Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member t the beginning of this year, I wrote a column stating the MADD York Region chapter was fighting for its existence and needed new volunteers to stay active. At that time, the Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapter had only two positions filled on its executive and was on "life support". I asked readers "is MADD relevant in our community?" and you responded very positively. The meeting room at the York Regional Police station in Richmond Hill was filled to capacity at the next meeting, with people eager to sign on to participate and ensure the anti-drinking and driving message was heard, loud and clear, across York Region communities. I felt a personal need to help support this group and have been attending monthly meetings to publicize their community events and activities. MADD York Region needs our help again. As chance would have it, the woman who agreed to lead the Marney Beck group and assume the president role, Dayna Switzer of Richmond Hill, went back to school this fall and can not continue her volunteer duties. Another member of the executive, Paolo Pecchia of Maple, has stepped up to the plate and agreed to take on the president's job. Other members of the executive are grateful he has agreed to fill this key role. They include Jessica Seymour, a passionate young woman who handles public speaking engagements with schools and other organizations; Micheline Cassidy, the trea- surer; and Margaret Williams, who handles public education and victim support and sits on the national board. Each of these women has had her own tragic interaction with a drunk driver. Jessica lost her leg; Micheline her daughter and Margaret her younger sister. For these women and all other members of the MADD chapter, working to fight drinking driving in the community is more than a cause, it's a personal fight; a painful passion. And don't think because of the name Mothers Against Drunk Driving that there are no men backing this group. Navid Afsharian is vice president, Nathan McMillan provides computer and web support and Doug Strong has agreed to assume the court watchdog role, keeping the chapter and national body updated on court proceedings as charged drivers face justice for the mayhem they commit on our roads. But the chapter needs more committed volunteers to make activities and events happen. People such as 4If you'd like to contact chapter president Paolo Pecchia,e-mail paolopecchia@sympatico.ca Allstate Insurance agency manager from Markham, Antoinetta Zambri, who has agreed to be the chapter secretary. In my opinion, the group also needs new blood to ensure the small group of committed members don't burn out trying to do and be everything. If you can help with office support duties, can volunteer a few hours at public events, would like to participate in a holiday safe ride home project in December or would like to come to a meeting and find out what MADD York Region is all about, consider this your invitation. The next meeting is Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. at the York Regional Police station in Richmond Hill (on Major Mackenzie, just west of Yonge Street). Marney Beck is a York Region Media Group editor.