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ADVERTISING 905â€"640-26 l 2 Classified: 1-800-743â€"3353 Fax 905640â€"8778 {Wfibune newspapers The Sun-Tfibune. published everyThursday ‘ and Saturday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd.. a wholly-owned subsidiary ofloastar Corpomion. Metroland is comprised of 100 community publications acmss Ontaiio. The York Region Newspapei Group also includes me Uberal. sewing Richmond Hill and momhill, Vaugian Citizen,The EwBanner (Newmarket/Autoia), Mamiarn Economist | l The Sun~1fibune welcomes your let- ters 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 edir for clar» ity and space. Letters to the Editor. "to Sunâ€"Tribune 6290 Main St W. 0N [M l6? Sun. Georgina Advocate. York Regton Business fimes, North of the City. yoncegionmm and York Region Printing. cmacfalhnengpom Carrie MacFarIane Dianne Mahoney Bonnie Rondeai: bmndeauéynngxom Dawna Andrews dandrewsOynngcom Carolyn Norman cnomwléyrmgxom York Region Media Group community jmasonfiyrmgxom Dismmmon lETTERS POLICY DISTRIBUTION 905-640-2612 Pnonucnou 905640-2612 a: 905â€"640-8778 Borrow EDITORIAL March 4. “Sell only what you sow" should be the motto for the new downtown farmer’s market. Qual- ity produce grown locally by real farmers is the key to success. Stouffville produce, late-night shopping keys to new market Re: Second Stoujfville mar- lfe} 8ft? go-Wad fmm fame“: v What doyouthink of these issues or Mind you, I’m not sure how many real farmers remain with all the fertile farmland being turned into housing developments. There is enough Ontario Food Terminal, mass-produced, imported produce available at the many supermarkets in town. There is no need to duplicate this. And the Stouflville Country Market seems to be filled with hucksters selling a multitude of goods, so no need to duplicate that either. A downtown farmers’ market would inject much needed pedes- trian traffic into the area. Yes, there will also be cars but it sounds like those in support of the market have parking top of mind. and worked as a reporter and ediâ€" tor at two diflerent newspapers, the second one being The West- mount Examiner, where I was at first a reporter before being promoted to editor. (Somebody later told me I just looked like an editor, and that’s why I got promoted. Too bad I didn’t just look like a CEO who ought to be making something in the high six figures. But that’s how it goes.) I n the 19905 I lived in Montreal Between the first job and the sec- ond, I set out on my own for a while as a freelance writer. I had a few articles published in the Montreal Gazette, the big English-language daily, and also contributed regularly to an alternative weekly named The Montreal Mirror. Several of the stories I wrote were picked up by radio stations. So when the Westmount job came along, I had great clippings and references. Howev- er one of the stories I ended up writing to get there, still haunts me to this day. This was during a recession and frankly I was terrified. But I needed to get out of the first job, which did not pay well, and start making some con- nections to get a better job. So I did it. How do you find homeless youth? Well, a photographer and I. met up one winter day and started roaming around it was a story about homeless youth and what life was like for them on the streets around Christmastime in 1993. People’s big hearts bright side of sad story LETTERS TO THE EDITOR This is essential. Operating hours are also key. For my own selfish reasons I hope that the market will remain open late enough for those of us who commute by car or train to shop The last GO train pulls into the Stouffville station at 7:32 pm, if it’s on time. But that's another letter. others? E-mail lettets to the edito: to jmason@yrmg.com You can read letters, columns and editorials printed in the Stoufi‘i/ille Sun-Tribune on our website. Go to yorkregionoom and click on Whitchurrh-Stoufi'ville. HAVE YOUR SAY, WHITBHUBBH- STOUFFVILLE downtown, looking for them. It didn’t take long for us to find two young guys, 18 or 20, sitting outside a department store, a dog curled up beside them, begging for loose change. They’d met on the street. They comâ€" municated by hand signals and nods. They shared cigarettes and coffee. They fed the dog. They split the money. Incredibly, one of the young men, who was originally from London, Ont., spoke no French, while his felâ€" low panhandler and only friend from St. lemme, up the river from Montreal, spoke no English. They explained how the dog increased donations from shoppers. They understood people felt sorry for the dog, not necessarily for them. We met up with them over a period of several days and it become obvi- ous one young man had psychological IN LYNN KAHRKLING STOUFH/ILLE Bernie O’Neil] U'RE HAD 5°?! 0 “EB-I! Mm Sfifli'l'ribune PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot problems. We were talking to him at one point and he just began to cry and wandered off. They were using drugs and drinking daily. They told us of a communal house where several street kids spent the night. mostly in sleeping bags on the floor. It had to be the most undesirable piece of real estate you could ever find, right next to a busy four-lane road near a tunnel. The photographer and I went inside and found a young man lying on a couch, a haze of pot smoke in the air. At first we feared he was dead. but went a little closer and realized he was breathing. He was simply passed out or sound asleep. Everywhere in the house there was garbage. Every utensil had been taken out and used and not washed. The same went for every dish. every glass, every cup. Water spun in a toilet that no longer flushed. The photographer, Francois. took photos and we left. We both went home and told our girlfriends what we'd seen. Both of our girlfriends cried. The editors didn't use any images from the house or the words I wrote about it. They wanted a positive story about agencies helping the kids. And that’s fine. But what was clear was the kids were messed up, mentally. cmo~ tionally, chemically. They were slowly destroying themselves. What Was stunning about the whole thing â€" we spoke to many other kids. Siva/Mlle 6290 Main St. Stouffville, ON. MA 167 wwwyodcegionmm too, walking around downtown with them over five days to make a record of how they lived â€"â€" was that. while you were within five feet of them. it was like vou were invisible. Montreal is a people watching place. But as we strolled along St. Catherine Street with these street kids. some of them tattooed or with mohawks or in black boots and army fatigues or just plain dirty, it was like a parting of the seas. Every head turned away. That is. almost every head. When the kids panhandled â€"â€" they seemed a little less threatening sitting down â€" many people gave. And more than just Change. They knew some of the money might be spent on drugs or booze, not food and shelter. liither way. they gave. They also gave to the agencies such as [)ans la Rue (In the Street) that watched out for these kids and made sure they were fed and clothed and for the most part sleeping indoors. In our area. food bank use has jumped, but so have some donations. When times are tough. people help each other. They have big hearts. Whether it's youth on the sweet or people who have lost jobs and their confidence, others will help them back up, which is the bright side of many a sad story. Bernie O'Neill is a Stouflbille msidmt and editor of the Markham Economic! 81 Sun. Emma IN Cum Debora Kelly BUSINESS MANAGER Robert Lazurko Dumcmu, ADVERTISING, Durnumrnon Nicole Fletcher DIRBCIDR, OPERATIONS Barry Black