A6 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, December 5, 2006 IOPINION1 Itfs time to give We'rc 110Wwcll into December and the unoffi- cial start of the season of giving. Its a timie to olfer assis- tance to those who would have littie 10 celebrate without the generosity of others. Keep your eyes open as y'ou go about your daily business to [mnd out how to, give. The Christmas Kettle Campaign of the Salvation Arrny is as familiar at Christmas as Santa Claus and mistletoe. As you Christmas shop, offer what cash y ou can to the Salvation Army Kettie Campaign locations. One is ai Milton Mail. There are lots of ways 10 donate. Many, many local businesses are collecting for various charities. The Champion operates the Chrisunas Bureau Fund througb which it col- lects funds for the Salvation Anny. Other excellent holiday donation programns inclucc Toys For lots - by I-lton Regional Police, Canadian Tire andI the Salvation Arniy - and the Be a Santa to a Senior programn by Home lnstead Senior Care. For infonmation caîl (905) 847-8433. Sehools and churches are also busy' collecting for the less fortuate. In a town of plenty we should neyer forget those who have very lîttle. And dont forget about giving the m-ost precious gift - the gift of lîfe. To find a local blood donor clinic cati 1-888-236-6283 or visît www.bloodser- vices.ca. Readers Write Send your letters to moltned@haloneacoem or drop them off at 875 Main St. E Student survey inappropriate DEAR EDITOR: 'm addressing this letter to ail parents and/or guardians who have studenîs in grade 7 and/or grade 10 wNithin the Halton District Sehool Board or the Halton District Catholie School Board. Tbis is to inform you of the Halton Youth Survey that was recently conducted of the stu- dents via the Internet through the sehools. l'mn not denying that the boards conduet a survey, but am extreniely disappointed in its means of doing so - without full parental dis- closure of the majority of the questions. We, as parents/guardians are always wam-ing our children to neyer disclose any personal information via the Internet. Students were first asked to provide their postal code. The survey bas a number of negative leading questions contained within it. Not only does the sur-vey ask about suicide, but just in case you dont know wbat that lis, tbey define it. Al'ter completing tbis survey some sensitive students may not know bow to deal wiîb some of the questions and may question their response. 1 tbink the boards are asking questions that are more likelv bo lead our young people astray iban belp those that truly need belp. Most of the students that were targeîed in ibis survey are stillin0 tbe process of trying to figure ou Iwi111 on l' l0 00 ) . l1Ot I lt, , i l t' Ili I \ "( askîng tbem if ibey bave been "bullîedl for being gay, lesbian or bisexual" is ligbly inappropriate. We don't send our cbildren to sebool îo fînd out wbieb "prescription tlrugs- can be -used tb gel bigb" and ask if tbey bave cbanged ibeir weigbt and body shape (i.e. "using vomitîng/lax- atives, usîng sieroids, diet pilîs.") Wby does the board provide this informnation to tbe studenîs? 1 dont send my ebild to sebool îo learn this. Tbere must be a better way of putîng our tax dollars 10 work. Tbrougb the boards supposed "secure board site," we accessed the survey wiîb otîr cbild and were able to go tbroug.igbî. Tbis was a better forum t0 conduci the sui vey in oui opinion, as îî gave us a chance to openly talk witb our cbîld. 1 urge parents to contact tbe Halton District Sehool Board (Director of Fdueation Wayne j oudrie or t]eaîber Gataveekas: gataveckas@bdsb.ca) or the Hialton District Catholic Board (Dîrector of' Education Lou Piovesan or Erica van Roosmalen: vanroos- malen@bcdsb.org) to obtaîn a copy of the survey s0 you are able to openlv dialogue witb your cbîld, if you would lîke more information on the survey and io bave your opinion voiced. DIANNE GORA BUR[ INGTON l<ourîuda-OUL'S are inuleeui a gpou solution DEAR EDITOR: 'Ne wbolebeaitedly agree wîtb Patricia Brown's promnotion ol roundabouis lfor Milton. Our only addition to ber letter would be ibat the concept of roundabouts be oonsidered n01 only locally; but nationally. \Ve Iras eled to France this past sumnmer and encountered dozens of roundabouts on our tour. Well designed and well sign-posted, tbey kept traffie flowing srnootbly The North Americani drivers' claim bhat roundabouts - or traffie cir- cles - would be biorror stories is unfoîinded. 'e agree witb Brown that future ioad devel- opment sboiild incorporate roundabouts as a solution to traffic grîdloek and excessive auto- mobile pollution. DOUG AND MARY MOHUN SARAH STREET HaI's tribute weII deserved DEAR EDITOR: What a fine tribute to Hal Gies by Steve LeBlanc in the November 24 Champion. l'm a former Miltonian now living in Burlington, but part of me remains in Milton. l'm a former îeam manag- er and timekeeper/announcer with the Steamers back in the 1980s, and had known Hal from my involvement in minor hockey You could always rely on Hal to be there no malter what the weather, and neyer bad to tell him what to do. I moved from Milton to Calgary in 1991 and then to Burlington in 1998. On occasion, 1 have run mb M al dur- ing those years, and he always asks bow my family is doing and likes to chat about some of the old coaching staff and management. He does have a rock solid memory. Wben the Merchants were bead- ing to the naîfonals eigbt years ago, I approacbed -everail bookes-relied were able 10 assîst t-ai in obtaining appropriate attire for that trip. 1 was really pleased to bear of bis bonour. Had I been home 1 would bave tried bo get 10 the game. However, 1 was in Chicago at the time. What a fiee positive story 10 see in The Champion. JOHN BAIN FORMER MILTONIAN ZLM) raaiban (Cljaînpionl i AÇnouy Pewp 0per 0'ce1860 875 MainSt.E., Milton, Ont. L9T 3Z3 905-878-2341 Editoriai Fax: 905-878-4943 Advertising Fax: 905-876-2364 Classified:905-875-3300 Circulation: 905-878-5947 www.miltoncanadianchampion.com Publisher Neil Oliver Advertising Director Wendy McNab Managing Editor Karen Moceli Production Manager Tom Colas Circulation Manager CharIone Hall Office Manager Tero Casas The Canadian Champion, pubiished every Tuesday and Fiday ai 875 Main St E., Miton, Ont, 19T 3Z3, li a division of Metroland Media Group West - Group Publiîher Ian Oliver Advertisirg ioaccepted on the condton hat, in te evnofo a typographical erro,, ai portion of the adon, 1.0,09 opace ocoopned bthoe ooneous itiemt oether noih a rnasonable aliontanfor signature. wlI not be harged for, but the talance of the adoertisement wilI On paid for anithe applcbloat file 5npobisher reserves the rght to cainqoonze advertienmentsoro delirn CCAB Audited f!00B 1 t~oi xdl,'oe boy O fa Ontario Commenoy l ' S Nontopapeno Asocioation C C A anadian Coiomonrty NontopapersAsosociation Sotoorlan Nentopapers p4% of Amnoca Tl,, v (banoq O o tige èl od CAN ADA CAY UNITED WAY 0F MITON Tv AUCTION MILTON SANTA CLAUS PARADE i l Iad, l, Ofat il \l,5,n, Showease Mlion F 3i ('AI PAUL MARTIN LIEAVEPS HIS FOVPKNT ON 1HiE .ISERA L EFADRSHIP m