Hands on Can Mean a Foot in the Door

 WOODSTOCK - “I wasn’t up for university and I needed a trade.” said Stephen Chisholm an electrician for Dobbelsteyn Service and Maintenance Ltd., and that’s a common thought for many people. They’re not interested in university, and are wondering what to do. 

But that didn’t stop Stephen. He started out working other jobs but that’s all they were. Jobs, but not careers. In 2008 Stephen decided to take electrical, a course and career he had considered in the past but never reached for.

“Location was a big thing; I didn’t have to move anywhere. I got to live in my own home,” said Stephen, a common thought for potential students. NBCC offers a small community atmosphere for the students to learn in. 

Now a successful electrician thanks to NBCC, he works in his ever changing field and is a trusted worker, thanks to his training.  The staff is a group of hard-working individuals who know what it takes to get the job done right.

Recruited from the field, most of the NBCC staff worked years to get the experience they needed to succeed. Jody Greer is the electrical shop teacher for the school. “It’s hands-on training, you’re learning everything. So when you do leave here and you go to work, you’re already trained and who you work for doesn’t have to worry.”

That’s what companies like Dobbelsteyn are looking for, and when they hired Stephen that’s what they got, a responsible worker who was well versed in all aspects of his field. From residential to industrial he was ready to conquer his field when he walked out of NBCC.

The electrical course is a short one year of study but is packed full of hard work to help make the best electrical workers possible. The class is full of people; students straight from high school and mature students looking to change their lives. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the majority of students were mature,” said Stephen. 

The college is an important figure for the town and has helped many people change their lives and become successful in their work. More than that though the college is turning jobs into careers for people like Stephen. Using a “hands on” schooling approach, the college ensures that you already have a foot in the door.

Stephen is now working in a field he loves and changing his life for the better. He works for a good company and has a loving wife and home. He reminds us, “College works, make it work for you.”

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Excluded Since Birth: A New Group Rises

Inclusion Ambassadors: Autism Hits Home

By Ethan W. Haslett

WOODSTOCK- People often shy away from the microphone as soon as the words question or interview are uttered but, at the bean and salad supper in support of Autism and in memory of Glenn Bruce. People were open to being asked questions. Five people even asked to be interviewed and from there they tracked down other people with different stories. A connection existed between them.

Everyone there was affected by the life change that accompanies a family member or friend being diagnosed with autism. For someone like myself it can be awkward to talk about issues like this. Not knowing these people and diving deep into a subject that seems personal can be hard. As the doors opened though and people swarmed in, their thoughts and experiences came flooding out, happy that someone was there to listen.

The mental condition was officially recognized in 1994; before that it was hiding in the shadows and was blamed on a magnitude of other mental health problems. It has affected thousands and will continue to affect thousands more. It’s an issue that won’t simply go away. 

For some, like Francine St. Amand, the developmental disorder threw her entire family in a state of disbelief. 

“Our son’s autism was a shock, it was just when they announced it in 94 and not much was known about it.” 

Even after going through a divorce, St. Amand and her son, Luke Sinstadt, are together and happy. Some might think it has hampered their social abilities, and they would be right in a sense. 

In the everyday world where the majority shun what they don’t understand, it happens. Autism is not something everyone knows about. Few are well educated about it. That is until someone they know is diagnosed with it. 

That’s why St. Amand started Inclusion Ambassadors, a local group promoting inclusion.  

“It initially started out as just as a means of having three individuals come together… a place where they could start friendships.”

The parents of the three original members decided to do what they could to make sure the three got together at least once a month. Troubled with thoughts that their children were losing out on the experience of making new friends that they could communicate with, brought about a great deal of understanding and co-operation from the adults as well as the three members. 

Aaron Bouma was one of the original three. For him the group isn’t just for fun. He sees it as a work in progress where they strive for success in spreading inclusion opportunities for all.  

“It’s a task force we’ve been working on since 2007,” said Bouma. “We work on inclusion of people with autism and people with mental disabilities. We’re here to promote inclusion and to support what’s been going on.”

Bouma, a strong conservative supporter, has different viewpoints on most things. As he talks, he relates every paragraph in some way to the military, for him life revolves around the structure of the organization. His eyes speak more than his words as his excitement grows when speaking out about the disorder. 

 

Since 2007 the group has doubled in size and now has six members, ranging from teenagers to those in their mid to late 20’s. 

As the group sits down to enjoy their meal, they tell jokes, laugh, and even gossip a little. Like any other group of young adults, they banter, knowing these friends understand what it means to be excluded. 

As a joke is told and they start to laugh in the back ground, I crouch down beside St. Amand to ask her what her take is on the group. For her and the other parents, the group means more than just a place for their children to see other people. For them it lets them relax knowing that their kids are happy, included, and free to be themselves. 

The group helps parents too, said St. Amand. “It gives the parents a break. It lets them go out and have a night to themselves just like other parents when the kids stay the night at a friend’s.”

She breathes a sigh of relief at the end of the sentence. Talking about how much the group does, not only for her son but also for herself and the other parents seems to calm her.

In part, the group started because some parents believed that not enough support was given to families after their child turned five. The Upper Valley Autism Resource Center though is there though to help people in this region. Sue Legacy is an autism support worker and volunteers with UVARC. 

She deals with children on a regular basis who have difficulty socializing.

 “We teach applied behaviour analysis which is a system of teaching children with autism how to socialize, and teach them skills to function in society.” 

Support workers like Legacy don’t just work with the kids. “Well to be honest with you, when you work with a child with autism, you are working with the whole family.”

That’s something that a family with a diagnosed member has to go through. The experience, according to both St. Amand and Legacy, is something that most will never understand. They both agree the challenges they face can bring them together or tear them apart.  

Ron Turner, like any father, loves his family and tries hard to always be there for them. The difference is his son requires more time than any working dad can give.  

He’s the father of two and for him life’s changed quite a bit from what he had planned. As a stay at home dad, he spends his days watching his son grow and slowly developing the needed social skills required in today’s world. Having his son diagnosed meant life changes.

Both Turner and his wife wanted three children but because their son takes up the majority of their time, they decided instead to focus on the two they had. Even having two, at times, has put strain on the entire family. Turner believes that his older daughter felt the strain at times, more than others.

“She was very jealous of him, and he was very jealous of her. And it wasn’t until later on that I really realized this.”

When she was about six years old, Turner finally realised just what a huge impact having a brother with autism had on the older daughter. 

“She pretended she was seizure’ering on the steps,” he said. “After that we tried to give her as much attention as we could, but because of his behavioural problems she was forced to grow up a lot on her own.”

That’s a problem that any family with multiple siblings has to worry about, especially those affected by a disability in the family. Turner remembers times when his son would get upset just because his sister walked in the room.

Worrisome thoughts can plague any family, but for families like the Turners it takes on a whole new meaning. Turner and his wife have different things to worry about; they have to be concerned about everyday tasks that most families wouldn’t even think twice about. 

“I worry day to day. My wife worried way back when he was born about when he hit school. I said “I’m not worried about that, I’m worried about today.””

Families that have autistic children are generally open, said Turner. For them the most important thing is something that the inclusion group helps to alleviate, at least once a month. 

These parents worry intensely about their kids fitting in, even as they get older. Like a mother hen pecking at the farmer trying to take her eggs, these parents want to be there to protect their kids. They have to constantly watch out for them and at times have trouble letting go.

Most parents can allow their children to gradually grow independent, but most parents of children with autism often can’t do this. At least not completely. 

Safety in doing everyday tasks can come into question. At times tasks such as, cooking, cleaning, or working often require 24/7 supervision from someone else. This is often required even after they’ve reached adulthood.

Their concerns are also related to ignorance about developmental disorders. These parents worry that because people don’t understand what their child is going through, that they will be excluded and won’t be able to reach their full potential. 

They hope people will eventually want to learn about it, that eventually everyone will have a place to call home with friends and family that understand, no matter how different someone is. Because like every other kid, they just want to be included.

Suspicious Fire Burns Down Apt Building

Firefighters rushed to the scene on Tuesday March 21st 

Flames arched up into the sky as the air around the apt building heated up. Firefighters and members of the RCMP surrounded the building on Tuesday March 21^st, keeping back neighbours and other onlookers.  

The fire started at approximately 8:45 pm according to a RCMP news release. The building was scheduled to be torn down at the end of the month and was the scene of an assault earlier that day. Fire fighters at the scene were concerned with the possibility of the fire jumping houses. Fire Chief Ricky Nicholson was at the scene.   

“Upon arrival it was fully engulfed and our main concern upon arrival was to protect the exposures. The daycare behind us and the neighbours house.”

Since the flames reached their peak so quickly Nicholson believes the fire might not of been an accident, stating “It’s a very suspicious fire at this time”. 

During the morning hours of the 21^st one man was allegedly assaulted by two others. In response to that the assault victim is thought to have driven his truck through the outer walls causing structural damage to the building. Eleven hours later the apt was thought to be set on fire. 

 

Even with quick response times the building could not be saved

For neighbours the fire came as a surprise, most not realizing until it was well underway. For people like John Douglass the blaring sirens rolling down the street were the first thing heard. “I was just inside feeding my daughter, and my mom said, “go check that out.” So I stepped outside and there was a huge fire just a few houses down.”

One person has been arrested in connection with the assault charges. The RCMP along with the fire department and the fire Marshal are still investigating the fire and the morning’s events. 

The Town That Drowned Released

River Valley Flood: A Memory, Not Just A Novel Idea

By Ethan Haslett

Reil Nason reads from her newest novel "The Town That Drowned"

WOODSTOCK- The story leapt from the pages as the novelist read the lines as they were intended to be heard. The Town that Drowned is a new novel written by the region’s newest published author, Reil Nason. 

Based on a true event, the novel is written from the viewpoint of a 14-year-old girl as the community she lived in flooded. The flood was caused by the dam being built just down-river from Woodstock in Mactaquac.

Fern Bail is a member of the Historical Society and to her the new novel rings an old bell. “I find it very interesting because I lived through the time that she’s referring to,” said Fern

The dam was built in the 1960s so for some residents it’s still a memory and not just a novel idea. For them, the novel has brought to life their past.

 

“I remember very well when the Mactaquac dam was built. It didn’t affect me personally but it affected a lot of people in the Woodstock area.”

Several communities flooded at the time. Families were moved, along with some houses. Bail will always remember the time as she saw it, a time when people weren’t given a choice, merely told that it was going to happen and to get into line with progress.

Nason, an experienced short story author, shared her favorite excerpts from her book during the book signing at Connell House Thursday to promote her first full length book. It was an eye opening experience for Nason, as she talked to guests.

“It’s been really nice talking to people after hearing a few personal stories and personal connections, especially back to that time period,” she said. “It’s been very nice. For me, it’s only based on knowing the local area. It’s imaginary people, dealing with a real situation.”

The Town that Drowned will be on book shelves in October. Nason hopes people read the story not only for its entertainment value, but also for a look at what people living in the Saint John River Valley went through during this turbulent time of growth.

The Dangers of Quitting

Smoking can kill. So, can quitting be that bad? New Health Canada reports state that smoking cessation tools can have serious negative side-effects.

By Ethan W. Haslett

It's up to the consumer to decide which pack of risks they're willing to take.

Woodstock- Everyone knows about the risks associated with smoking.  Warnings are clearly stamped on each pack along with a discouraging picture resembling one of the disadvantages of inhaling the hazy smoke.

According to Health Canada the number of cigarette users in the country has gone up and down in recent years. Except for a one percent increase in male smokers in 2010, both teenage smokers and female smokers have dropped by at least 2%, according to Stats Canada. Many attribute this to the increase and availability of more smoking cessation tools.

One of the most popular tools for quitting in the United States and Canada is the new electric cigarette. Called E-cigs for short, electronic cigarettes produce white water vapour instead of the gray cloud usually seen. They may contain nicotine or other chemicals to dampen the effects of nicotine withdrawal.  

The biggest selling point and the one most advertised is the fact that they contain fewer dangerous chemicals. Drug companies also advertise that they can be used in smoke free environments.

E-cigs are made to mimic the look and feel of a real cigarette, causing confusion for business owners trying to decide whether patrons should be able to use them in their establishments. 

 “Well, first off people are gonna think they’re real, and we have a strict no smoking policy and we have to up-keep that image,” was the personal opinion of one Walmart supervisor.  

That’s not the only reason the government is discouraging Canadians from buying into the new E-cig fad. 

“Health Canada advises Canadians not to purchase or use electronic cigarettes as these products may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada,” said Olivia Caron, a media spokesperson for Health Canada.

 “To date, no rigorous scientific evidence has been submitted to Health Canada demonstrating the safety of an electronic cigarette product.”

Without concrete evidence of the safety and effectiveness of E-cigs, Health Canada advises consumers to talk to their doctor before buying them.  Health Canada fears that people, blinded by the fear of what smoking can do to, are blindly grasping at anything that might help them stop. They are concerned that consumers might not know that there are risks associated with the use of E-cigs.

“I wasn’t told about any health risks when I bought mine. In fact, it was quite the opposite, I was told that they were healthier for me,” said Taylor McConnell, an ex-smoker who used an E-cig to stop.

The risks associated with smoking are known, but the dangers of inhaling a chemical mix of water vapour isn’t. Very few brands of E-cigs have been cleared for sale in Canada, and even then it’s recommended that you talk to a doctor first. However, there are no pictures or warnings on the package.

Health Canada recommends that people on smoking cessation drugs should be closely watched by their friends, family and physician. Signs to look out for are: increased depression, aggression, and self-harm.