Wednesday, May 5, 2010

District Living
work, said Troy Clink, manager of childrens mental health at Family & Childrens Service here. May 2-9 is Childrens Mental Health Week, which Clink said is a good opportunity to increase public awareness of the signs of child and youth mental health problems as well as decrease stigma. Clink said one misconception some members of the public still have is that a person has to have schizophrenia, or something equally extreme, in order to be considered as having a mental health problem. It does not have to be as severe as that, he stressed. Youve got kids who are struggling to pay attention, youve got kids struggling with life adjustment issues after a divorce. Those really present mental health challenges. Clink said the reason why childrens mental health really needs to have a voice is because, just as with physical health issues, early detection is important. Early detection can really help these kids avoid substance abuse later on and run-ins with the law quite often jails have a high number of folks with mental health challenges, he noted. Thats what were pushing for, a proactive stance to catch things early in kids as opposed to ignoring kids, ignoring the issues and challenges that theyre facing, and just waiting for them to become more and more intense as they get older. Clink said times have changed, and a child previously thought to be oppositional now may be recognized as having an attention deficit disorder and get the help they need. That was never talked about when I was a kid, he remarked. So I think a lot of people, because things were missed and the knowledge wasnt there, really missed out on a lot of success they could have had if someone could have come alongside them and showed them some tools that would allow them to succeed in school. Likewise, more people are getting over the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues for themselves and their children. This has led to a greater demand for mental health services. Clink said the process to access services at FACS, including childrens mental health services, is as follows: Call FACS at 274-7787 and ask to speak to Integrated Services Northwest. Case workers will set up an appointment to meet with the family or child, take their information, go through the intake process, and

B1
sign consent forms. After deciding with the family what program would best suit the childs needs, case workers then forward that information to the appropriate program manager. The program manager then prioritizes the level of severity of the issue, and the child is put on a list to receive counselling. The reason we have to have a prioritizing system is because we simply do not have enough counsellors to meet the needs of the Rainy River District, Clink explained. A major problem that is facing childrens mental healthhere and Please see Early, B4

Early detection key to treating mental health in kids

By Duane Hicks Staff writer One-in-five Ontario children and youth has a mental health problem, according to Childrens Mental Health Ontario. These disorders range from anxiety, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to eating disorders, substance abuse, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and even early psychosis. If left untreated, these disorders could lead to failure at school, conflicts with family, drug abuse, violence, or even suicide. But the good news is that help is available and treatment does

Fort High trio off to Ottawa to push their business plan

By Peggy Revell Staff writer Three Fort Frances High School students will be taking their business plan for a funeral home to Ottawa next week to participate in the 10th E-Spirit National Aboriginal Youth Business Plan Competition. Steven Mitchell, Max Calder, and Ryne Strachan will be joining more than 190 youth from across Canada on May 11-13 for the competition organized by the Business Development Bank of Canada, which aims to build entrepreneurial and business skills and knowledge in aboriginal youth from Grades 10-12. Its been a lot of work, its been tiring, said Mitchell about the project, which will see the trio presenting their business plan to judges in Ottawacompeting on behalf of Fort High for awards which include a $2,500 prize for a gold finish. The trio first began working on the project after they were invited to participate from school organizers, explained Mitchell. They were told they could come up with any business they thought they could make money with. The group came up with a bunch of ideas, Mitchell noted, including a dance school, martial arts school, and catering, before deciding on one for a funeral home. My grandfather is really a big inspiration to me on this project, Mitchell said of the reason behind their idea. Our reservation didnt have a funeral home, and my grandfather was a smart guy but he wasnt exactly rich so he couldnt do what he wanted, he recalled. He said a funeral home is the best way to make money off people. He said in society today, you dont need a funeral but people want them, and theyre expensive, Mitchell added, noting people nowadays can pay thousands of dollars for a funeral. The problem is if you go to a funeral homeit always has a church in ityou never see at traditional burial actually done, Mitchell said about incorporating an aboriginal aspect into their project. And my grandfather said it would be nice if, whenever he passed, if he could have a traditional burial, so I figured it would be a great way to make money. People want to have a traditional burial and you can do different services for each different person, he reasoned. Mitchell said the team has put a lot of research into the project, ranging from such things as where to buy cremation chambers, all the supplies, graveyards, tombstones, coffin-making (even biodegradable eco-friendly ones), licensing, and what would be the Please see Trio, B5

Piece by piece
A crew with Grimsby, Ont.-based modular building specialists NRB Inc. hoisted a building module into the air and set it down on the foundation of the new Treaty #3 Police station going up at the corner of Idylwild Drive and School Road at Couchiching last week. The pre-fabricated, modular building consists of seven modules which were built off-site and then moved to this location. Funding from the federal and provincial governments totalling $1,692,870 for the station was announced back in November. Duane Hicks photo

Local teen qualifies for national pageant

By Dave Ogilvie Emo correspondent It was a perfect spring, nearing the end to another year of school, for Felicia Schmutz of Emountil she decided to answer an ad on hotmail. The ad was for applications for the Miss Teen Canada-World competition. And little did Schmutz know the kind of effect that decision would have on her summer! From the moment I answered the ad things began to happen very quickly, she recalled. Two days later, she completed and submitted the online application. That afternoon, Schmutz was notified she was to have an interview via Skype with someone from Miss Teen Canada-World. Shortly after that, someone from the organization phoned to inform her that she had qualified. They asked me if I could take part in the regional competition that coming weekend [April 24], Schmutz remarked. Since she already was in Winnipeg, she quickly agreed and asked her parents, Rachel and Jurgen, if they would be willing to attend. I was attracted to the idea of entering the competition because it is much more than simply a beauty contest, Schmutz explained. According to its website, the pageant offers Canadian teens aged 13-19 an environment where the girls can be recognized and appreciated for who they really are from the inside out. We provide Canadas teen girls the opportunity to grow, and be a positive role model in her community, it reads. At Miss Teen Canada-World, we foster diversity and acceptance all the while instilling confidence by educating young women in the

Emo teen Felicia Schmutz, pictured here at the Home & Leisure Show this past weekend raising money for Free the Children, has qualified for the Miss Teen Canada-World competition and will be travelling to Toronto in July to vie for the national crown.
Peggy Revell photo

Max Calder, Steven Mitchell, and Ryne Strachan will be heading to Ottawa next week to present their business plan for a funeral home.
Peggy Revell photo

areas of leadership, commitment, image, and self-esteem. The magic of the Miss Teen competition continued for Schmutz at the regional showdown as she was one of the girls who qualified for the national event in July in Toronto. As soon as the competition was over, they asked me if I would prefer to represent part of Winnipeg or Northwestern Ontario, she

noted. Her immediate answer, of course, was Northwestern Ontario. Schmutz spent this past weekend at the Home & Leisure Show in Fort Frances raising money for the competitions charity of choice. Each participant in the national event is asked to raise at least $400 for Free the Children. I will be collecting right up to the time I leave for Toronto, and

would love to hear from people who are willing to donate to this worthwhile cause, she beamed. I will also be approaching local businesses and individuals to assist me in the cost of attending the competition, she added. Last years hard-working teen participants raised nearly $50,000 for Free the Children. Schmutz hopes they can at least equal that Please see Local, B5

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

FORT FRANCES TIMES B5

Womens health Local teen qualifies for national pageant symposium set to go Saturday
By Robin McCormick Devlin correspondent The fourth Womens Health Symposium is set to go this Saturday (May 8) at Fort Frances High School and the Townshend Theatre. Running from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., the day will be full of information, education, and pampering for women of all ages. Speakers, exhibits, free health screenings, and interactive activities will allow participants the opportunity to learn about living well at any age. Preventive medicine, family health topics, and ways to create a healthy mind, body, and spirit also will be part of the days agenda. There also will be door prizes, giveaways, and a delicious lunch. This definitely is a fantastic way to enjoy part of your Mothers Day weekend. And if youre not a mom, youre still guaranteed to enjoy it. Sincere sympathy is extended to two families in our community. To Nancy Allan and family on the passing of her mother, Betty Sivonen. She often was seen volunteering at the Legion with her energetic personality. And to Cheryl Beadle and family on the passing of her mother, Florence Watson. Florences passing will touch the lives of many as she was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and much more. The St. Patricks C.W.L. in Emo will hold a Mothers Day tea and bake sale on Saturday (May 8) from 1-3 p.m. in the parish hall. Tea, coffee, sandwiches, and dainties will be served, with baking, crafts, draws, and religious articles also to be available. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children aged five-10 (those under five are free). The Devlin slo-pitch league will hold its annual work bee this Saturday (May 8) beginning at 9 a.m. There is some brushing to be done. If you have the proper equipment, please bring it along so the ball diamond can be in tip-top shape for the opening of slo-pitch season on Monday (May 10). Cards played at the Devlin Hall last week saw the high go to Mary Gavin and Norbert Bragg while the low went to Pat Busch and Jim Kellar. The card games in Devlin are now over until the fall. The April 50/50 draw at the Emo Legion was won by L. Jewell, who pocketed $935. Selling the winning ticket was Devlins famous ticket-seller, Lois Shine. Cribbage played at the Emo Legion last week saw Rene Kivell and Nicole Drennan take the high, with the low going to Agnes Waldeck and Mary Gavin. Nicole Drennan also won the draw. The next Bingo at the Emo Legion will be held on Tuesday, May 18. The next Country Jam there will go on Friday, May 14 beginning at 7 p.m. The annual T.O.P.S. #3019 Salad Supper is planned for May 31 at the Devlin Hall. More information to follow, but be sure to mark this date on your calendar as this is always an event everyone looks forward to. T.O.P.S. meets every Monday at the Guthrie United Church in Devlin. The weigh-in runs from 5:456:50 p.m., with the meeting getting underway at 7 p.m. Call 486-3338 if you have any questions. The T.O.P.S. Annual Recognition Days (ARD) was held at La Place Rendez-Vous in Fort Frances over the weekend, which attracted T.O.P.S. clubs from Northwestern Ontario. About 225 women gathered to enjoy speakers, recognition for weight loss, and the crowning of the top losers. The Devlin, Emo, and Fort Frances clubs were instrumental in organizing this event, and many positive comments were heard from visiting members. Hats off to four members of our T.O.P.S. club who worked long and hard to make this event happen: Freeda Carmody, Trudy Badiuk, Linda Gill, and Rose Mose. Special events are taking place at all district schools to coincide with Education Week (May 3-7). A reminder that May 17 is a P.A. Day for all students, and that May 24 (Victoria Day) also is a holiday. The Grade 6 class at Crossroads held its annual D.A.R.E. graduation today (May 5) at 11:30 a.m. Meanwhile, the schools annual speech contest goes this Friday (May 7). Finally, the annual Crossroads family barbecue is planned for Thursday, May 20 from 5-7:30 p.m. Get well wishes are extended to Cecil Wilson, who is in hospital in Fort Frances recovering from a heart attack. The district sends you wishes for a full and speedy recovery. Perhaps some of you noticed that I didnt have my weekly column in the newspaper last week. Thats because I spent almost a week in Ottawa. Iris Shute and I flew down to spend time with my sister, Nancy. We had a great time and the flowers (especially tulips) were just coming out. Ottawa is a beautiful place to visit, and its easy to see a lot of tax dollars are spent there. Happy Mothers Day to all moms on Sunday (May 9). Enjoy your day! Robins 2: A man watching a playoff hockey game on TV kept switching channels to a romantic movie featuring a lusty couple. I dont know whether to watch them or the game, he said to his wife. For heavens sake, watch the couple, his wife replied. You already know how to play hockey. More from B1 amount this year. The Miss Teen Canada-World competition provides the girls with the opportunity to be an ambassador for Canada, encourages all the competitors to take a leadership role in their communities, and motivates them make a difference in the world. Schmutz said she wants to inspire young people in Canada to be the change. She is looking forward to making a difference locally, as well as internationally. This year, the slogan for the Miss Teen Canada-World pageant is Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful. All the girls are encouraged to develop new interests, become a positive role model, and contribute to projects in their community. They also get a chance to focus on academics, build self-confidence, and learn about all the qualities that help a young woman become a leader of tomorrow. The next step for Schmutz comes in July when the finals will be staged in Toronto. The competitors will be judged on the results of a personal interview, evening gown, swimwear, charity contribution, public speaking, and photogenic appeal. There is also an online aspect to the competition, explained Schmutz, noting girls can make it into the top 20 competitors by receiving the most online votes and by collecting the most money for Free the Children. Ill let everyone know when the online voting opens, she said. The title of Miss Teen CanadaWorld comes with a great deal of responsibility, including being interviewed by the media, attending gala events, and representing

Canada at charitable events. The national winner no longer represents her region, but instead the entire country. Whatever the results, Schmutz plans on making the most of the opportunity shes been given by promoting her causes, learning from the entire experience, and raising money for Free the Children. For those who would like to make a contribution, Schmutz can be reached at 482-3203 or by joining her Facebook group.

Trio off to Ottawa to push their business plan

More from B1 most profitable route for their business. The group has put together a PowerPoint presentation, pamphlets and more to pitch their business plan to the judges. Throughout the project, theyve also had a lot of help from Fort High guidance counsellor Gary Medicine and the teams sponsors, Gwen and Alyssa Reid. I liked mainly how we had the freedom to create really any business we wanted, said Calder. But we chose to go with the funeral home. And I liked how really open that was because we could have so many different types of burials, and we could really accommodate any kind of service. Im just glad theyre giving me the opportunity to go with them, said Strachan, with all three agreeing the opportunity to travel to Ottawa is one of the best parts about the competition. The national event also includes a trade show presentation at the University of Ottawa Rotunda, a cultural event at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and the awards gala. For Mitchell, who originally is from the Akwesasne First Nation about an hour south from Ottawa, one big part of the trip is being able to go back home and visit with friends and family there. The free trip to Ottawa, thats my favourite part, I cant wait to see my family, he enthused. That and you get to check out the Ottawa universities, stay at the dorms, meet the different performances. [And] get a little taste of the university life, echoed Calder. And since its an annual event, Mitchell encouraged more students to participate in upcoming years. More students should get involved, its a great opportunity, he remarked. It would be great to put onto a college application or a university application that youve actually went into the competition, and if youve placed even better.

Catholic trustees meet

Press release Catholic trustees of Ontario celebrated their 80th-annual general meeting and conference in Thunder Bay on April 29-May 1. This was the first time in 80 years the conference had been held in Northwestern Ontario. The conference hosted more than 250 Catholic trustees from across Ontario, and the event was hosted by a joint committee of the board chairs and directors of education in the Northwest Catholic District School Board, Kenora Catholic District School Board, Superior North Catholic District School Board, and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board. Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association president Paula Peroni thanked the Catholic boards of Northwestern Ontario for a tremendous amount of planning by a number of very dedicated people. We are so grateful for the support and enthusiasm demonstrated by our fine northern host boards, she added. Some highlights of the conference were the keynote address and liturgy with Most Rev. Fred Colli D. D., Bishop of Thunder Bay, a panel addressing Ontarios Equity and Inclusion Strategy, and Ontario Education minister Leona Dombrowsky. The closing address was by Andrew Coyne, national editor of Macleans magazine, speaking on Educational Reform. At the OCSTA mass at St. Agnes Church, Northwest Catholic District School Board chair Anne-Marie Fitzgerald was commissioned by the bishop and OCSTA chaplain Fr. Fitzpatrick to be a member of the provincial board of directors. Peroni thanked our Catholic trustees for answering the call to service. Your commitment to the students entrusted to our care embodies all that is meant by our conference theme, Catholic Education: Rejoicing in Hope, she added.

Lake of the Woods Control Board Lake Elevation Graphs May 4, 2010 http://www.lwcb.ca/index.html

Lake Levels 05042010

RAINY RIVER

TRAPPERS COUNCIL Trappers Meeting

For Lynx Quota and Elections

ELEV TIONS: A IJC Max: IJC Min: May 4/10

METRES: 337.419 336.848 336.933

FEET: 1107.02 1105.15 1105.42

Friday, May 14th 7pm Devlin Hall

For more information call Rob 486-1299 or Mike 274-5498

LifetimeSmiles
LifetimeSmiles

AN INDEPENDENT DENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICE

Spring Cleaning can include your Oral Hygiene!

Bacterial infections in the mouth can lead to health complications.

PREVENT DISEASE PROMOTE HEALTH

Get your oral assessment and treatments at PREVENTATIVE ORAL HEALTH CARE 276-2887

ELEV TIONS: A IJC Max: IJC Min: May 4/10

METRES: 340.376 339.577 339.886

FEET: 1116.72 1114.10 1115.11

Dawn Gustafson, Independent Reg. Dental Hygienist Daytime and evening appointments available. Insurance plans welcome.

AbitibiBowater Boise Paper Solutions

Fort Frances Area Forecast

Kenora

CON
Typical announcements are 5 inches in depth by 1 column (2 inches) in width. This provides ample space to place a grad photo and accompanying information about the graduates achievements. Placing the announcement is a fast and easy process. Just stop by the office with the grad photo and the information you wish to include and well do the rest. The cost is $30.00 including gst.

ULATIONS!
Congratulations
Rebecca Cornell

3 / 14

Vermillion Bay

0 / 14

Dryden

2 / 14

MAY 6 to 8. Normal to cool temperatures. Sunny skies.

Upsala

The Fort Frances Times is pleased to publish graduation announcements. Graduation is a significant milestone and were happy to document accomplishments at trade school, college or university, high school, etc. Grad announcements are a nice keepsake for your family and also a great way to convey this special news to friends and acquaintances around the District.

Sioux Narrows

0 / 13

2 / 15
Nestor Falls

2 / 15
Rainy River Baudette Emo

1 / 16

1 / 16
Fort Frances

MAY 9 + 10. Normal temperatures. Cloudy periods. 4 / 16

Atikokan

1 / 15

International Falls
www.weathertec.mb.ca 2010 Weather Tec Services. Inc.

Temperatures shown on the map are NORMALS averaged over a thirty year periiod. Arrows indicate general WIND FLOW patterns.

MAY 11 to 15. Normal temperatures. A mix of sun and cloud.

Thursday, May 6th ... Sunny skies. Normal temperatures. Low near -2C. High near +12C.

FORECAST FOR THIS WEEK

Saturday, May 8th ... Sunny skies. Cool temperatures. Low near -1C. High near +9C.

Friday, May 7th ... A mix of sun and cloud. Cooler temperatures. Low near -1C. High near +8C. Outlook for Sunday, May 9th to Saturday May 15th, 2010 ... Cloudy periods on Sunday and Monday. A mix of sun and cloud expected expected on Tuesday to Saturday. Temperatures will be near normal. Lows will be -1 to +3C. Highs will be 12 to 17C. Daylight on May 6th lasts for 14 Hours and 50 Minutes. Sunrise: 5:45 AM. and Sunset: 8:35 PM.

Congratulations! Shauna Lundgren

Shauna graduated from the practical nursing program at Confederation College on June 16th, 2009. We are very proud of you! Love, Grandma & Grandpa Lundgren & family

Cara Lynne Marie Yellowega for graduating from the University of Guelph
graduated June 5th, 2009 from the Business Accounting Program at Confederation College in Thunder Bay.

WeatherTec Services Inc.

METRIC CONVERSION (to change mm to inches divide by 25) C 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -25

Bachelor of Science Honours Major Biological Science

Congratulations Cara!
We are very proud of you. Love, Mom, Dad, Lee and family

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