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

MARCH 2004 I took the chance to really think about what has happened in my life over the past year iust before ringing in 2004, as I'm sure many of you did. I thought about the not-so-good stuff that has transpired but more importantly I tried to think of the good things. Some very exciting things took place last year for myself. my family and the entire Stouffville community. The most exciting event in my mind's eye was the amazing fundrais- er held on Nov. 7 at Markham Fairgrounds: I still can‘t find words to describe what a night it was, a night that brought a community togeth- er and made everyone realize this is a pretty darn awesome town. A big family. I often catch myself wondering if I would ever have reconnected with certain people who were there had circumstances been different. had I not fallen off my bike. November 7 aside, I have touched base with many people from the past over the last year and a half. Some have been very easy to get up to date with and some have been painfully hard. The most difficult run-in with an old acquaintance occurred at a music concert last summer Once we got talking the scene lightened a bit and I could feel the blood returning to my face as I watched a translonnation occur. Over I was in my manual wheelchair and my friend Laura was pushing me to our seats when I caught a glimpse of a familiar face. I asked Laura to stop. turn around and push me up to the guy leaning against the rail- ing in the distance. I greeted him with an enthusiastic "Hey man!" and in my excited state was completely oblivious as to how he might react to seeing me in a wheelchair. He responded with a blank face, not knowing who he was looking at. I felt my heart sink and began to recognize the uncomfortable situation I had created. We stared speechlessly at each other for what seemed like centuries until he broke the ice and said, "You look so familiar”. I wanted to disappear. "I'm sorry but what‘s your name?” he asked. I continued to stare speechlessly until I snapped out of it “It‘s”. it's Luke”. His jaw dropped. '#%@5 man. what happened?" 'Upswo imam 441 bedroom a. 4 home 'Auorax 2860 salt. at "uni ‘urw Int-In kitchen mm walkoui Air/Vacuum 'thod W m "roof oflnh mopmy at mum; 5 WM "". um um I' 14 not!!!" 009! 9001M". ”99.”. by Luke Anderson ‘fdii Jilin M I human lmlmfl uh mum ”I1.“ 1m Ill'l" 21 Ilka! IM The year was I989. My Mom, Dad. Logan and I were in Switzerland taking part in a year long exchange program whereby we traded spaces with a Swiss family. They came to live at our house. slept in our beds and drove our car while we did the same with their house, beds and car. Sometime in September I got an e-mail out of the blue from my teacher in Switzerland. Although she was no longer teaching. she had been in touch with one of the teachers that my dad had taught with. who had informed her about my accident. I responded to her message and asked if she kept in touch with any of the other students in my class and if so to forward my message on to them. Out of the 20 or so students that 'I went to school with that year I think you can guess who responded. Yep... Karin. We have since exchanged a bunch of e-mails and had an awesome telephone conver- sation which saw Karin practising her English and me trying to scrape the rust off my Swiss'German. At school I was teamed up with a classmate who helped me adjust to such a different place. Her name was Karin. She was very soft-spo- ken and had a magical way of making it easier for me to understand what was going on while I tried to learn the language. Painful or not. my reconnection with friends and acquaintances from the past has truly enriched my life and helped reinforce the realization that our friends and family are the most important thing in this world. Aside from real life encounters. I've had my fair share of electronic ones. Checking my e-mail is sometimes like opening a lack-in-the-box but often when the weasel goes "Pop" there is a new lack-in-the-box! The most interesting one occurred last month when I received a very unexpected e-mail. Let me tell you the story. Logan and I attended Swiss schools where we quickly picked up the language and met new friends. My Mom was born in Switzerland and much of her side of the family still resides there, so we did a lot of tour- ing around and I can recall my sister and me enduring a lot of cheek pinches. Karin and l were desk buddies for the‘entire year and ended up becoming really good friends. We wrote to each other off and on after that year in Switzerland but eventually lost touch. I have often caught myself wondering what she was doing with her life; I guess you never forget the first girl you kiss. MW M 2m “Moe ' ‘7 applunm Im may a m‘mm the course of a few seconds I had taken this person on an intense emotional ride from not even knowing who I was at first glance to realizing it was me and most importantly that I hadn't really changed at all. Heavy stuff hey? fled mole 31 Ron Avomu sloumma 8109.900 I ' Walk to GO Train, parks 'Now window: In 2002 WM ’001 'Ncw central vac In 200: In1999'smaumm20m ,plll 'WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE THIS MONTH” - 3 Mumm‘.'A «:1an on Liki Samoo'. 81'. . “It hourpalto make buying or ”(flu at! h a)” anxiety" arlalrt a spaclous open concept. vaulted cell- Inos. ovarsllod wlndows, walkout to dock. hardwood floors. Fleldstone fireplace. dream kltclren. updated baths. finlslled rac room. wet bar. separate entrance ln-law sulte. Altonllon Bulldm/Irmmr: t 03 Ac, potential lor 3 extra rots Penocfly so! up tor your ‘droam come true' Emormn 20 quash In ovorslzod dlnlno room Gourmet Maple mchon commmh bum- lm. Formal IMno room. "bury. hot no room. mm anco" am. mndah. Guns! mm mm at Port Pmy'. _otSMDo IEII BREAKFAST? MI 30 ICIE RETREAT? Pluuln I mplo "We have received some excellent donations including furniture‘ quilts, glassware. sterling silver, original artwork and Royal Doulton china," said Joanna Reesor-McDowell, director of resource development at Parkview Services for Seniors. "More donations of suitable items are needed to make the auction even more successful as a fundraiser for the building fund." The preview begins at 4:30 pm. on March 19 and donors of items will be issued charitable receipts for the sale price on request. The event. which features some rare and fine pieces, is sponsored by Clarkson Auctions. For more information. or to donate an item, calll 905'640-07l4. Parkview Village Auditorium will‘hdst a live auction of antiques and col- lectibles on March l9 at 6 pm. to benefit the Parkview Home Building Fund. Uxbfidoe Fine, rare artifacts up for bid at auction flWmufi $449 .000