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

Trained volunteers arid Etudents, in partnership with a team of speech-language pathologists, communicative disorder The Yorkâ€"Durham Aphasia Centre (Y DAC) is a non-profit community agency which serves residents of Maple, Stouffville, Newmarket, Whitby, Peterborough, Richmond Hill and Markham. YDAC, which celebrates it 20th anniversary this year, currentl has more than 200 individuals enrolle in its programs. Aphasia profoundly changes the most basic of human skills â€" the ability to communicate. Estimates show that in Ontario alone, 40,000 people are living with the condition, which occurs when the language centre of the brain is damaged as a result of stroke, head injury or brain disease. Aphasia does not impair intellectual ability, but has an impact on people’s ability to speak and/or make sense of words they see or hear. The resulting communication problems often lead to depression, social isolation or markedly restricted community participation. And speaking of Nineteen on the Park, ifvyou haven’t been inito check it out, do yourself a favour and drop by on your afternoon off to see what your tax dollars have built. Make a point of attending a function â€" the Free Press and the library were to present a special film night May 27 featuring two highly acclaimed Canadian'n'iovies, Eating Buccaneers and The Teriaht. The writers and directors of both films were to be special guests at the event, which carries a mere $5 ticket price. Judging by the near capacity crowd that attended the Free Press presentation of Outsourced, a wonderfully entertaining film festival flick May 15, our movie nights are going to be a big hit. Almost everyone is aware of the physical disabilities that may arise after a stroke, but few know about aphasia, a speech and language disorder which often results from stroke and brain injury. The point I’m trying to make is thét there 'has'to be moré to living in Stouffville than shopping at Wal-Mart and sitting in front of a computer in They are depriving themselves of some of the true joys of small town life here in Stouffville. If you've never sipped tea, had scones and cream and browsed the exquisite gift ware at Candlelight and Memories, sat on the backyard patio and eaten lunch and quaffed an ale at the Earl of Whitchurch. or slipped downstairs and tasted the Creek delicacies to be found in the Cafe Athena just beside our newly opened jewel, Nineteen on the Park, then you've yet to buy into what your hard-earned mortgage dollars are going towards, Maybe it's the accelerated rate of growth over the past 10 years or so, with so many people taking up residence several miles from the downtown core, that has led to some of today’s new residents shying away from the downtown area. Which is a pity really. Sure they come out for the Strawberry Festival, they line the streets with their kids to watch the Santa Claus Parade, and they come out by the hundreds for the annual B.I.A. Easter Egg Hunt downtown. And I‘m seeing no end of new faces in No Frills as I shop five times a week to try to keep the fridge stocked for a couple of teenaged boys. But I sense there are some who are missing out on the satisfaction that comes with making Downtown Stouffville a significant part of their routine. New to town? So was I back in 1977, a young 20-something looking for a town of my own where I could hang my hat, as well as a shingle, raise a couple of kids and get involved. We headed straight to Main Street, both to live and to set up shop whacking together the pine furniture that was so popular back then. Main Street was the heart of Stouffville, the place where people came to do business, meet and greet each other, and generally be part of the scene. Thirty-two years later Stouffville is still welcoming newcomers looking to embrace, and be embraced by it. As for me, I’ve become one of the town’s old-timers who can tell the recent arrivals who Abraham Stouffer was, how the Mayor got his start, and how Savex, that pathetic excuse for a retail endeavour, has been a blight on the downtown core for decades. WALK AND ROLL FOR APHASIA AWARENESS By Bruce Stapley Stouffville Free Press Out in Write Field A Downtown State of Mind This year's local Walk and Roll-a-thon takes place at Parkview Village Auditorium June 4 from 9:30 to 11 am. and 1 to 2:80 pm, and everyone in the community is welcome to participate. For more information visit www.ydac‘on.ca or call 905-642-2053. While core funding is provided by the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care, extra money is needed to fully support the programs offered. Every June, during National Aphasia Awareness Month, YDAC’s seven program sites host a fund- raising program, reaching out to their surrounding communities for financial support, while raising awareness and understanding about aphasia. assistants and social workers, provide services designed to assist individuals with aphasia to more effectively adapt to the condition. Participants learn to develop new strategies for communicating in an aphasia-friendly environment where they can interact with and learn from others experiencing the same difficulties as themselves. The result is a new group of friends, a new set of communication strategies, and renewed self-esteem and confidence. My life has never been as complete as when I moved to Stouffville and proceeded to become familiar with what it had to offer, either in 1977 or today. I’ve been able to be a part of something that is as vibrant and energizing as it is soul soothing and laid back. Try buying into it. I promise you’ll be hooked. one's off hours. If you need some direction as to where to go in the downtown area, what restaurants and coffee houses to check out, which shops just scream to be visited, or how to navigate Nineteen on the Park, then call me and I'll meet you down there. Seriously. The Free Press phone number is 905- 640-3733, and it's answered seven days a week. How well are you managing your Type I or Type II diabetes? Let our Stouffville I.D.A. Health Care Team work with you. o A Registered Dietician will review and provide guidelines suggestions for diet lifestyle modifications. APPOINTMENTS START at 10 am CALL 905-640-3324 TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT Ask Your Doctor For Your 0 MC Levels, 0 Cholesterol Levels 0 Blood Pressure Levels Please have your Health Card Number when you come. IUNE 4 IS DIABETES MANAGEMENT DAY AT STOUFFVILLE I.D.A 0 Our Diabetic Device Specialist will help you with any technical issues with your monitors, lancing devices and insulin delivery systems. - Have our Certified Diabetes Care Pharmacist review your medication profile. . Weddings . Parties . Bar Mitzvahs FOR BOOKING INFO Call 905-841â€"2003 14663 Woodbine Ave. South of Aurora Rd. (across from W5. Museum) Historical Building with a Beautiful Garden Setting 2 Halls Available for Rental for Special Occasions June 2009 0 27