the brant advocate, issue 5, january 2012

7/28/2019 The Brant Advocate, Issue 5, January 2012

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www.brantadvocate.comfacebook: The Brant Advocate

twitter: @BrantAdvocateJanuary 2012 Please Take One

An Open Letter from The Brant Advocate Team.

This is your Year! At The Brant Advocate, we're excited for

what 2012 will bring to our community. We're excited

because we've made a pledge to serve as a publication that

reflects the community.

With the help of those voices who have contributed over the

last several months, we've filled this publication with the

stories and photos of just some of the many interesting,

heartwarming, informative and even controversial facets of

Brantford, Brant and Six Nations.

In 2012 we hope to do more for this community, but we need

your help. Send in your story ideas, submissions and feedback

to [email protected].

This is your year. This is your publication. Sincere thanks and

warm wishes for 2012.

PhotocourtesyofIdaAdamowicz


2/12

January 2012www.brantadvocate.com Facebook: The Brant Advocate Twitter: @BrantAdvocatePage 2

A communitys image is often defined by the traditions

that it keeps. For some its the industries that power their

community, things like manufacturing, mining, and technology.

For others, its the great successes of their native sons and

daughters, achieving greatness through innovation, invention,

and athleticism. You can often find these declarative definitions

at the gateways to each community, nestled in the welcome

signs that greet you as you pass through.

Brantford, Brant County, and Six Nations are no different.

Brantford is the city that prides itself on community figures like

Alexander Graham Bell and Wayne Gretzky, and the rich

history as a manufacturing hub and a Best Bloomin City. The

County, as well as Six Nations, are filled with longstanding

traditions. The Paris, Burford and Six Nations Fairs have each

lasted more than 140 years. They are complimented by evolving

events that draw new audiences to their communities like theGrand River Pow Wow, Applefest and the Cobblestone Festival.

The events represent the traditions of old and the transi-

tions to new. They showcase a communitys historical values

while sensing the need to evolve into something different,

something that helps to compliment the way the town is now

rather than the way it was then.

Brantford is a city in a difficult position when it comes

to tradition. Its a city that was frowned upon for so many years

now fighting to show itself as a community on the rise. From

the ashes of the devastating loss of a strong manufacturing

sector, Brantford, lead by an ever-increasing group of commu-

nity leaders, looks to transition to new traditions that will help

to build the community its citizens want it to become.

In the first 12 hours of 2012, Brantford will host three

distinctly different events. Each one of these events is at a

different level of establishment as a community tradition. But

more importantly, each helps to show a signal of a community

undergoing an evolution, one that compliments what is already

happening in the surrounding communities.

Brantford starts 2012 with a New Years celebration in

Harmony Square. The downtown landmark has become the site

of many events that hope to become community traditions, as

well as becoming to the new home

to established traditions. It brings

the community together for a

traditional event that crosses all

ages, classes, and cultures. It does

so in a family friendly environ-

ment that reaches out to all

corners of the community. This

event is a tradition nearing

establishment, one that hopes to reach out to those both new andold to this community.

Later that morning, a new event will emerge from an old

community tradition. The 2012 Brantford Tournament of Races

kicks off with the New Years Resolution run, the first of a series

of six races to be held throughout the year. The running series is

the evolution of an athletic institution in Brant. Running has deep

roots here, with names like Mannen, Sullivan, and Duchene

known throughout the sport both nationally and internationally.

The Tournament is a representation of the traditions to come, the

transition of our traditions into the fabric of an evolving community.

Immediately following the race is the 16th annual

Mayors Levee held at the Brantford Armouries. Established

during Mayor Chris Friels first term in office, this event brings

politicians from Brantford, Brant, and Six Nations in a unifying

spirit to help start the coming year with a sense of promise. Its

an open invitation to hear community leaders speak about the

promise of things to come in the tradition of cooperation.

These are three events with three emerging traditions all within

the same day in Brantford. All three build on existing traditions:

the celebration of a universal occasion, our relationship with

running, and the spirit of cooperation. All three represent the

fundamental values of a community in transition by presenting

the traditions of the past in a way that reaches out to everyone

in the community, not just those

who have been there for a long time.

As Brantford continues to look

towards future prosperity, the

community must look for ways to

emerge from the past. Yes, there

are some elements of Brantfords

past that made the community

great. But many of those traditions have either fallen by thewayside, or have failed to stand the test of time. It is up to the

leaders of this community to help Brantford rise up and form

new traditions that remind people of the past but also embrace

the future.

This year begins with a look towards our future. With

so many exciting new events on the horizon for the rest of

2012, it is my hope that Brantford will be motivated to

continue to work towards a full transition into the prosperous

community that it once was.

email: [email protected]

www.brantadvocate.com

Twitter: @brantadvocate

Facebook: The Brant Advocate

Finding Transition in TraditionEditorial by Andrew Macklin

Brantford is a city in a

difficult position when it

comes to tradition.

Southside

ColborneStreet,earlyyears.


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January 2012 www.brantadvocate.com Facebook: The Brant Advocate Twitter: @BrantAdvocate Page 3

As the Education Extension Officer

at Woodland Cultural Centre, I receive many

requests to do workshops and presentations.

The request I receive most often is

can you come and do drumming? I do own

an Anishinaabe hand drum. I sing and play it

because I love the sound of it. But if I were

to play my own Haudenosaunee drum it

would be a water drum, less impressive in

size but still rich and beautiful in tone. Im

not a drummer so I do not offer this as a

workshop.

The second request I get most often

is, can you come and teach pow wow dancing?

I know the round dance. It has a noteworthymeaning with simple steps, not very exciting

as pow wow dances go, so I know this is not

what the teacher is looking for.

Once I was asked, Can you wear

your Indian clothes for the students to look

at? I immediately look down at what I am

wearing and I think how disappointed the

children are going to be! I have discovered

since working at Woodland Cultural Centre

that some phone calls will afford me oppor-

tunities to be offended. But If I am in the

position to educate, then my response to any

of these requests is to welcome the opportunity

to correct misconceptions.

I cant blame people who ask what I

consider stereotypical requests. I realize that

most people, that even though they may

have lived their whole lives here in Canada,

they have not been taught about FirstNations people in a way that is accurate and

respectful. Even my own elementary school

memories contain the image of I is for

Indian. Today, there are many diverse

cultures represented in our classrooms. So

more than ever before, we need to open our

minds of understanding, celebrate that diversity,

and give children the opportunity to be

proud of their heritage.

I have met some extraordinary

educators who have made an effort to learn

about Haudenosaunee traditions and

culture, and have been willing to

look at contemporary

issues First

Nations people are faced with.

They have invited me to their educa-

tional institutes, or they have brought their

students to the Woodland Cultural Centre

Museum to go beyond the surface level of

what has been required of them to teach in

their classrooms. I applaud these teachers.

The Woodland Cultural Centre is,

and has always been, here to give support to

anyone who is interested in knowing more.

Each diverse culture has value and

integrity that we can choose to accept and

appreciate. I can only speak for mine

because I have had the privilege of growingup on Six Nations, and I have spent all my

life living within this culture. We are all

human beings and we all have language,

family values, oral traditions, history, world-

views, government, education and a health

practices. All of these things are based on

our culture. They are the stories we have

been told, and are the teachings of our elders

that pass this knowledge down to each

generation. So when I see the teaching of

Aboriginal Studies, by making dreamcatchers

and cardboard longhouses, I cant help but

feel students have not been giving enough

information of whose culture these items

represent and what their significance is.

Some have rushed passed and some have

stopped and taken the time to be accurate

and respectful in teaching the culture of the

Haudenosaunee; People of theLonghouse.

Information of First Nations people

can be studied not only in Social Studies,

but in Science,

Geography, Physical Education, Family

Studies, Math and Art. I am continually

finding ways to have workshops in every

subject in every grade. When I was asked to

teach moccasin making and beading, I took

on the challenge of practicing what I preach.

I do not know how to do either of these, but

I said yes. I taught the geographical history

of the moccasin, who wore them, why and

the differences from Nation to Nation. I

taught the beadwork styles, how different

they are from each Nation and what the

symbols mean, what kind of beads wereused and how do moccasins look today. We

designed a beading pattern, created a

moccasin toe out of clay, and carefully

created their sketches out of beads that were

painstakingly placed into the clay using a

toothpick. Now these students were ready to

actually have someone come and teach them

to make moccasins and to bead them. They

now could appreciate the cultural importance

of the moccasin and the individual meanings

of the beadwork.

Exposing students to the culture of

First Nations peoples history and contemporary

issues promotes understanding and this will

build healthy relationships within a community.

I believe the classroom is the perfect place

to derail the image that I is for Indian. As a

visual artist, when I teach, I like to usecontemporary art in the classroom, so that

students will know that the Haudenosaunee

are contemporary people who live in the

modern world but have continued their

ancient worldviews.

I read a quote one time; Im not sure

where or by who but it has always stuck

with me. We have misunderstood each

other for hundreds of years and healing of

relationships will not come easily, quickly or

without effort. So every day I consciously

make that effort to take down walls of

misunderstanding and to build relationships

based on respect.


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Building a RelationshipBy Pat Duguid & Trish Kings

The Rotary Club of Brantford has a long history ofraising funds for community causes that desperately need the

financial support. Focusing on the needs of children, Rotary's

assistance has had a significant impact on the development

on some of this community's strongest youth support pro-

grams.

One of those support programs has been the Boys'

and Girls' Club of Brantford. The support of this program,

from day one, has created a positive environment that has

helped thousands of youth in our community.

The Rotary Club of Brantford founded the Boys

Club in December of 1969, when a group of individuals

believed that our community needed a place for boys to

grow, and to find some structure. Although the Boys Club of

Brantford opened in December of 1969, Lt. Governor W.

Ross MacDonald officially opened the Club located in a

church basement at 112 Darling Street, on Friday March

13th, 1970. Both the clubhouse, and initial operating funds

for the project, were provided by the Rotary Club of

Brantford. In its first year of operation the Club had a

membership of 406 boys.

Due to a growing membership and the need for

additional space, a building at 121 Darling Street was

purchased in 1972. This would be a clubhouse for the next

17 years. Also in 1972, one headline in the Brantford Expositor

read Another Masculine Bastion is Broken, following the

announcement that programs for girls were now being

incorporated, one night per week. This was also the year

when one of the longest running programs of the Club was

introduced, boxing. This program produced many talented

athletes, including a member who held

the Ontario Junior Featherweight title

and went on to win the Canadian Junior

Amateur title.

In 1975, the club officially

changed its name to the Boys' & Girls'

Club of Brantford and programs for both

boys and girls were fully integrated.

At a Club function in 1979,

W.D.H. Gardiner, Vice-Chairman of the

Royal Bank of Canada, said the Rotary

Club of Brantford "has

played a key role in setting

the stage for the Brantford

Boys' & Girls' Club

success." This statement

rang true as a new gymna-

sium was added to the

facility in the same year. In

1985 Kiddy Korner

Preschool, providing half

day programs for preschoolers, was also added.

Around 1986, the Club was quickly running out of

space to accommodate the growing membership and

programs, and the Board of Directors began the task of

developing a capital campaign for the construction of a new

facility. Once again, the Rotary Club of Brantford was

instrumental in the success of this project, assisting the Club

in many ways including raising funds through three home

draws.

In September of 1989, the Boys' & Girls' Club and

the Rotary Club of Brantford celebrated the official opening

of The Rotary Centre - Community, Youth & Fitness. The

new 35,000 square foot facility provided expanded services

to the community, the preschool program grew into a full

daycare programs, adult and senior fitness and wellness

programs were developed and our youth members reaped the

benefits of a new facility for their recreation and leisureneeds.

The current building was named The Rotary Centre

as a tribute to the Rotary Club of Brantford for founding and

continuing to support the Boys' & Girls' Club.

The Boys and Girls Club of Brantford has come a

long way since its humble beginnings.

And it was people like George Campbell and Len

Ellins who made it all happen. When we started we were in

a church basement, and boy was it ever small, Ellins said in

an interview. When we opened we only had five or six,

maybe 10 kids, but it sure mushroomed once word got out

that we were open.

Ellins and Campbell were both instrumental in opening

the club, and they were honoured for their efforts as the club

celebrated its 25th birthday. Both were presented with

plaques recognizing their 25 years of work in building the

club. Both men have been members of the clubs board of

directors for the past 25 years and have served terms

as president.

In Their Own Words...

"For many years the Boys' and Girls' Club of Brant-

ford has played a key role in supporting children and youth

in our community. Many children and youth in our schools

have benefitted from the programs that have

been offered. These programs and activities

provide a safe and supportive place where

children and youth feel empowered to speak

up about their needs and the needs of other

youth. It is critically important that these

types of programs in our community are

supported and sustained. All of us have aresponsibility to support the dreams,

hopes and aspirations of all children

and youth." Trish Kings, President of

the Rotary Club of Brantford.

"I think the Boys & Girls

Club has always been a safe place for

kids to be. I grew up in Moncton and

spent a lot of time at the Boys &

Girls Club. I learned how to box and

I think spending time there

helped build my self-esteem

and kept me focussed on

positive things." Robert

Caissie, owner of 13 Culli-

gan dealerships & honourary

member of the Rotary Club

of Brantford.

MORTGAGES PURCHASES

REFINANCES LOW INTEREST RATES

519.304.5480www.mortgagesinbrantford.com LICENCE #10907

- Stephen DostalMortgage Broker


5/12


Becoming a parent changes your life. Many new parents embark upon a research

mission to seek out everything they need to know about raising a baby. Some might

seek out early learning and development programs in their community, while others

might head to Amazon and order an arm full of books to equip them with the answers to

all of their new parent questions.

Many parents however, are not aware of how they can seek out this information,

or may be new Canadians that speak very little English. Some parents in our community

are teenagers with unplanned pregnancies. For them, becoming a new parent may be

scarier and they may feel lost and unsupported.

The Launch Pad in Brantford is a place that supports all parents, caregivers and

children from newborns to six year olds. Its a free drop-in program that operates out of

Graham Bell-Victoria School. At the Launch Pad children can play, socialize with other

children, explore, and just be kids in a safe environment. The program is facilitated by

Jane Flinders, a Registered Early Childhood Educator. Jane also provides support to

parents and caregivers by answering questions about development, challenging

behaviours and nutrition. She also leads the children and parents in a circle time each

day where they explore literacy through music, rhymes and reading.

The Launch Pad concept is the brain child of the late Dr. Fraser Mustard.

Mustards research taught us that a babys brain is wired during the first year. A babys

brain contains 100 billion neurons and will grow trillions of brain-cell connections

during the first year. These connections are called synapses, and they need to be wired

together through stimulation. If these synapses are not

wired during the first year, theyre lost during the childs

school years. Basically, the brain works on a use it or

lose it basis. These early experiences set the stage. The

Launch Pad helps parents learn what they can do withtheir children to give them the best start. They operate

on the belief that parents are the first and most important

teachers in a childs life.

Sharon Brooks, the Executive Director of Kids

Can Fly, brought Dr. Fraser Mustard to Brantford to

present to the Rotary Club about his research. That

presentation stuck in Rotarian Bill Campbells mind.

Fellow Rotarian Jackie Delong was a board member for Kids Can Fly, and had worked

with Sharon to open early learning and parenting centres in Brant. A meeting was

booked for Sharon to meet with Bill in August of 2007 .

Sharon came to the meeting equipped with her usual portfolio of research preparing to

educate Bill on the reason why investing in early learning is crucial. Sharon says, He opened

our discussion by saying that he didnt need to see this as he was already a convert.

I knew that investing in early learning was a good thing to do. The long-term

benefits are great. It reduces crime and poverty and encourages a higher level of learning.

Its whats right for society, says Bill. Bill posed a question to Sharon. If I write you a

cheque today, could you open another parenting centre by September? Sharon was

surprised at his question. In her experience, she had to work really hard to convince

people of the importance of investing in early learning. Bills question felt like a dream

come true.

The reality of opening a centre in 3 weeks was a challenge, but Sharon didnt

want to lose the opportunity and said: I can do it by October! Bill and his wife Dorothy

committed to funding the Launch Pad each year. They provided the start-up capital to set

up the centre, and continue to fund the yearly operating costs. The Grand Erie SchoolBoard provides the space for free. The concept of locating a Launch Pad within a school

helps children to be ready for kindergarten, and gives parents a chance to become a part of

the school community before their children attend kindergarten.

Dr. Fraser Mustard attended the opening of the Launch Pad on October 1, 2007.

One of the challenges the Launch Pad faced was that some families had trouble

arranging transportation to come to the site. Sharon told Bill about this, and he agreed to

pay for families to take a taxi. They created a program where families could call ahead

and book a taxi to get to the Launch Pad. In the first month, the taxi bill was higher than

Sharon had expected. Nervously she called Bill to tell him and his response was: Isnt it

great that people are coming to the Launch Pad?

Bill and Dorothy loved the concept of the Launch Pad, and they wanted it to be

available to all families. The couple has two children but

do not have any grand-children. By supporting the Launch

Pad, its like we have lots of little grandchildren, Bill says

with a chuckle.

He regularly stops in to visit the program and always comes

at Circle Time. I just love how Jane tricks all of the kids

into learning their numbers and ABCs by singing and dancing.

Its great to see that the kids just know what will be coming

next in the circle time and they get really excited. Theyre

learning while theyre having fun! It really is quite

something to see.

Since 2007, Bill and Dorothy have funded 100% of the Launch Pads cost through

a private donation to Kids Can Fly. Hundreds of families have benefitted from visiting the

Launch Pad, and Bill and Dorothy have continued to champion investing in early learning

and development.

The Launch Pad is open Tuesday to Friday from 9:00am 12:00pm at Graham

Bell Victoria School, located at 56 Grand Street in Brantford. It is FREE, and everyone is

welcome. The program is for children from birth to age 6, as well as parents and

caregivers. Families can seek free transportation through Brant Taxi at 519-752-1010.

For more information on the Launch Pad, visit www.kidscanfly.ca.

How Generosity Changes LivesBy Patti Berardi

Hundreds of families have benefitted

from visiting the Launch Pad, andBill and Dorothy have continued to

champion investing in early learning

and development.


6/12

Winning the Battle with SADThe winter months can be a hard time of year. First

we struggle with colder weather, shorter days, holiday anxiety,

family tension and all the rest of it. Then after we have

successfully survived the holiday season, we are faced with a

number of grey weeks that turn into months. We are then also

tasked with colds, poor driving conditions and frustration

which makes spring feel like it is eons away.

With 90 days to go until the bloom of spring, we need

to find ways to keep our spirits up and for some, to battle

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. As a form of depres-

sion, many people experience the common symptoms of:

Increased appetite with weight gain

Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness

Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon

Loss of interest in work or other activities

Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement

Social withdrawal

Unhappiness and irri tabil ity

So how do we combat the harder days? For some people, it

can be as basic as finding the energy to get outside and

partake in basic exercise. For others, it can take a little

more motivation, and in some cases, assistance from a

professional. That being said, there are a number of basic

tactics we can all use when faced with a sluggish day with a

little desire to do anything.

Proper sleep - We often think of sleep as providing us

with extra energy, but in some cases it may be adding

to our sluggishness. That being said, it is also important

to be sure we are sleeping on a regular routine and

catching all of the hours we may need in a night.

Diet and Exercise - This will not only help your

mood control, but will have the obvious physical

effects. Exercise will also increase your light

exposure. Keeping a healthy diet will help avoid any

unnecessary weight gain that may affect your overall

mood and self image.

Herbs, Vitamins and Supplements - As part of a

healthy diet, it is important to be sure you are

meeting all of your daily intake requirements.

Stress Management - We all take advantage of the

summer months to take vacation and time for

ourselves. This could also be considered for the

winter months.

More Light - Living and working in a well lit

environment will help you to feel more cheerful and

comfortable.

Keeping social - Keeping busy and engaged will help

you to avoid the bad habits we all fall into when the

bad weather hits.

As someone who has struggled with seasonality, I

also have recognized the importance of acknowledging and

accepting this. It can take more work and energy to make

sure I am eating, sleeping and exercising properly and

regularly, but I also know what it feels like when this

becomes unbalanced.

For anyone who may be experiencing the winter blues, I

recommend you go and speak to a professional. This is a

very common disorder that many of the population face.

To learn more:

Rosenthal, N.E. (2006). Winter blues: everything you need to know to

beat seasonal affective disorder. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.

Vorvick, L.J. (2011). Seasonal affective disorder. Retrieved from:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002499/

By Bekah Pitts


Photograph courtesy of The Photohouse, c/o Paul Smith.


7/12


Rockin The Suburbs: The Protest Movement in Brantford

Time Magazine bestowed its annual Person of The

Year title for 2011 on The Protester. To some the protester is

seen as a motley crew of whiners and cry-babies. With the

Occupy Movement we almost literally had Archie Bunker

types from Toronto City Hall yelling "get off my lawn." It

would be comical if it wasn't so serious.

To others still, like the editorial team at Time, in the

past year the protester has been "more consequential" partly

because "do-it-yourself democratic politics became globalized."

Sure, there has been a lot of press about national and

international protests recently. A lot has been written about

the use of the internet (more specifically social media) as an

organizing tool. I've seen that one in play myself and it is

fairly effective. Yet as connected as we all are we have to

remember the internet doesn't create the protest. It's just the

newest tool to help those who or-

ganize do what they do.

Canada has an incredible

history of effective public proteststhat in the fullness of time most

people would say were useful.

Some of these sparked consequential

change like when our

Veterans returned from

World War 2 and took

to the streets demanding

investments in public

housing. I've looked

through many photo-

graphs from that time

and I'm always

impressed at the

boldness of those

protesters. I couldn't

help but think about

how witty their signs

were and how much

more powerful theimages were than any

tweet could ever be.

"From foxholes to

shacks!! We had more

room in the foxholes,"

is just one of the signs

from the archives that

illustrate my point.

Putting the

global and historical

context for protests aside, what about Brantford and the

surrounding area's history? How do we stack up to the

national and international protest scene? While we haven't

overthrown any dictators or had sleeping bags dotting the

horizon line on the South Side of Colborne I'd say the protest

movement is alive and well here.

Actually, protests and public gatherings are becoming

a regular feature of our local landscape. I see three types of

protests that have created conversation in our community.

Clockwork Protests

From the once-a-year, out-of-town crew that come in

to protest in their underwear about fur on Wayne Gretzky

Parkway, to the crew on the other side of the spectrum that

sets up shop each year on King George Rd. to protest

abortion. These are regular features of the local protest

movement that happen every year like clockwork and likely

will for some time. These happen in cities all over the

country and are as similar in those other cities as our

Wal-Mart is to the one in Peterborough.

Get-on-the-bus Protests

This is when we lend our people power to national or

provincial movements. From religious leaders to young

activists, Brantford and area has been fairly well-represented

at: the G8 protests, the No Prorogue movement, Parliament

Hill protests about First Nations taxation, the Anti-Usage

Based Rally (#UBB), Vote Mobs, the CPP sit-in in Oshawa,

Occupy Toronto and many others.

Our geography makes us one of the best places in the

country to live. We're so close to so much it makes sense that

we can and do travel to major cities for protests and large

public gatherings too. Im always impressed when I see

people I

recognize

from the

area at

these events. I remember being the only person from outside

of Toronto to speak at the anti-UBB rally in Dundas Square.

I had gone up with one friend who was with me on stage. I

was absolutely taken aback by the cheers when I mentioned

Brantford in my opening. A lot of our local students were in

attendance as were former residents who now live in

Toronto. Walter Gretzky is right; that Brantford really is the

centre of the universe.

Local Focal Protests

What I find most interesting though is the local

protest scene. Over the last 3 years, the depth and breadth of

protest we are experiencing here is huge. We've seen protests

and public gatherings big and small over a wide range of

local issues. The long list includes: development along the

Grand River, the demolition of the South Side of Colborne,

the Postal Strike, the dispute at ECP, the use of temporary

work agencies, taking the HST off home heating, land

claims, poverty & homelessness, domestic violence, peace

festivals, rendering plants in St. George, mental health and

addiction, Earth Hour, and most recently, a burgeoning

LGBTQ rights movement. Despite all those I've just listed I

know I'm still missing some and I believe there are many

more to come in 2012.

We are an organized, passionate and compassionate

community, and the move toward protest and public gathering

on issues is very strong. Further, I've been noticing a few

things at these gatherings. They're more frequent, they're

more family friendly and they're getting larger. Its not just

the usual suspects attending either. What I mean is that, as

someone who has participated in many of these, I'm actually

seeing less people I recognize yet more people in general.

Young, old and everyone in between, from all different demo-

graphics and political persuasions, are beginning to appear at

these community gatherings.

After an Anti-Bullying/LGBT rally in late December

I received an e-mail from someone in attendance that said

this: "I'm new at all this standing up for what is right. I want

to become more involved."

I hear a version of this all the time and it is very

exciting when people learn to act

and organize around their

passions. Whether you agree or

disagree with the points of view of

those protesting or gathering the

fact that so many are doing this

shows we are a concerned and

engaged community.

So, while I dont expect the

local Canadian Tire will have a

run on protest

tents this winter

and I dont think

well be occupying

the rye grass on

the South Side

hill any timesoon, I do

believe that the

option of

protests, vigils

and public

gatherings is

occupying the

headspace of more and more of us and will continue

to as we look ahead at the rest of 2012.

Dedication

This column was written immediately following

the funeral of a friend taken by cancer at the very

early age of 56. A proud family man, business man

and community helper who struggled for years coming to

grips with his sexuality. With the support of his family and

his strong faith he was able to live the last several years of

his life as his truest self. He found a great deal of self-acceptance

and acceptance from those who loved and worked with him.

I'd like to dedicate this month's column to his

memory. I spoke about him at the December Anti Bullying /

LGBTQ rally after having just found out about his passing. I

told a portion of his story. I cried. Many in attendance who

had never met him shared their tears too. I was worried I

may have stepped over some line sharing that part of his

story. Even though it meant a lot to those gathered at the

rally it may not have been my story to tell. In the emotion of

that day it just came out. I was mentioning this to both his

daughter and his partner as I left the funeral service. "Dad

would have loved that," his daughter replied. "That was so him."

"That's what Steve wanted to do next," his partner

told me. "Help others who had been in his shoes, especially

youth. That's perfect."

By Marc Laferriere


8/12


Shifting PrioritiesWhen youre a student, December means crunch

time. For most of the month, I spent almost every day doing

schoolwork alongside my friends. We had this one study

space where we always ended up. It had a great view of the

street.

Every so often, we would take study breaks and

watch people scurrying along, frantically trying to reach their

next destination. Cars passed in steady droves, and we wondered

who was inside, where they were going, and how they were

feeling. They all looked so small from where we sat, and

their agendas seemed to shrink in importance with them.

Noticing that made us feel small too. We began to

question how important the work we thought was so vital

actually was. It jarred us a bit.

One day, right in the middle of the height of our

workloads, one member of our little clique was faced with an

unexpected change. She was called home because her grand-mother was on her deathbed. Suddenly her priorities shifted,

and she was able to rearrange her plans quite easily. Its what

you have to do when life happens.

For the record, her grandmother is doing okay now,but between watching the city from that vantage and seeing

how quickly we can be forced to adapt to new situations, I

got thinking about change.

Change generally happens through one of two ways:

internal forces or external forces. We decide what we do each

day until the world changes on us and we adapt or until we

instigate our own changes.

New Years has always intrigued me for that reason.

Even though I have never really done the whole New Years

Resolution thing, Ive always thought it was pretty cool.

What other force is so unstoppable as time? We are power-

less to stop the ushering in of a new year. So what do we do?

Get all in-yo-face by countering it with our own decision to

change something.

The thing is that when we make changes, we have to

be all in, and we dont need any kind of excuse to makethose changes happen. If its time to lose weight, we just

have to decide to start losing weight. If its time to go back to

school, just go back to school. If its time to start spending

our money more wisely, start spending money more wisely.

If its time to start getting more involved in your community,

get more involved. If there are any other big changes sittingon our to-do lists, we dont have to wait until a New Years

celebration to say well follow through on that change. Of

course we can respond to all of those statements with but,

but if we want to go forward, we have to trust that things will

work out. Its annoyingly simple.

When life happens, we are able to adjust. Grandmothers

almost die, cars smack into each other, bills get missed, new

friendships are formed, jobs get lost, and countless other

events occur all the time. We rarely have control over them,

but we find ways to work around them.

Sometimes we treat internal forces with less respect

than external forces. We act as if the changes we impose on

ourselves are not nearly as important as others, but if we

want those changes to happen, we have to treat our resolutions

with respect. Most of us already know what needs to change

in our own lives. How do we go about making that change

into something real?

We just do it. Make a commitment and stick to it.

Chances are, we can figure out how to make everything else

work around it. Its never too late to make a resolution. The

things in our way are rarely as big as we think they are.

Let me start with some background so you will know

where I come from, what has led me to this, what has

programmed my hard drive if you will.

I grew up on a farm in southern New Brunswick in the

fifties & sixties. I can remember my first day of Grade One. I

remember seeing a truckload of brand new 1956 Chevrolet

cars going by on the road as I was getting into my Dads car

for that first ride to school. Ahh yes September of 1955.

My parents were good, honest, hard working people

who were always working at something. My Dad was up

before the crack of dawn to milk his herd of prized Holstein

cattle. Mom would have breakfast ready for my brother David,

Dad and I by 8:00 a.m. so we could have a ride to school.

Some days I would take my bike, some days I would walk. It

was not that far, but it was uphill both ways and well, you

know the rest.

Mom would be occupied for most of the summer/fall

seasons preserving jam, jelly, freezing vegetables from our

garden and playing the church organ for weekly services,

weddings, funerals and any other income producing opportunitythat came along. Fall and winter had Mom going to town with

Dad on Tuesday evening for choir practice and Sunday for

church. She was the organist at one and then the other local

mainstream churches for thirty plus years.

In the late fifties, my Dad was tiring of the dairy industry,

particularly the farming part of it, or the 5:00 a.m. part or, the

losing money part, Im not sure what actually triggered his

decision to sell the cattle and become the editor of a farm

newspaper. But he did and Im glad he did.

With Dad now employed in the Dairy Center of the

Maritimes, it was not long before he was invited to join the

local Kiwanis Club. It was, at that time, a group of men who I

knew and respected as the pillars of society in the community

and our church. The Club met on Thursday evenings in our

church hall, was catered by the ladies of the church and the

music (piano) was provided by, guess who??? My Mom.

After leaving high school and taking a course in Motor

Vehicle Repair, I was in a quandary as to my future life. I

couldnt seem to find an opportunity where I was satisfied

with the hours, pay check or other people, particularly those in

authority. I found myself between positions at Christmas,

1968, when a friend, Robert, invited me to come to Upper

Canada for a visit. The opportunity for employment was also

available, he said. So Boxing Day, bright and early, Robert and

I set off on a trip that determined a lot of my life from that

point. My plan was to check it out for a few months and then

return home.

I returned to my NB home, usually twice a year, for

Christmas and summer vacation time. Since I was my Dads

guest at Kiwanis on several occasions, I appreciated and

enjoyed the opportunity to see all the men who I had grown up

with and respected. My Dad progressed in the organization,

becoming Club President and then Secretary of the Club. As

fate would have it, he was the Chairman of the Committee that

built the Kiwanis Nursing Home where he passed away in

1992. My Mom continued to provide the music and became

the first female member in 1987, when females were finally

allowed by Kiwanis International. She continued her member-

ship until she passed away in 2002.

Dads passing came at a time when my wife Laura and

I were planning a move from Toronto. We had a daughter

about to enter high school in an area of the city that wasnt

safe anymore. It was no longer Toronto the Good. On a

friends recommendation, we moved to Brantford. Laura

commuted to Toronto for several years, while I did for a few

months until I found employment locally. Our daughter Isabel

attended Assumption College and I believe that was the best

decision we ever made with her. Protests about uniform were

replaced with enthusiasm for education, drama and art shortly

after. Our late arriving son, Owen, went to day care.

On the advice of my dear wife, I called the Kiwanis

Club of Brantford, to see how I could apply for membership. I

did not do any other investigation. I did not check out any of

the other service clubs. I didnt have to, since I knew what a

Kiwanian stood for from attending with my father.

It didnt take long before I was asked to join the Board

of Directors. When a board member resigned from the Club, I

was asked to fill in since I was there anyway. I was put on a

few committees as a member and remember enjoying my

work with the Key Club group the most. My older brother had

been in Key Club and a friend of mine in high school, Frank

McKenna was as well. You may recognize Franks name. He

went on to have a successful law career before spending a few

terms as Premier of NB, before becoming Canadian Ambassador

to the U.S.

I eventually became President, and realized it would

coincide with the Millennium. What did I want the Brant

Kiwanis Family to look like in 2000 when I was done? What

could we do, as a Club, to make a mark on this community? I

started talking to people to find out what we needed to do. I

asked a few people to help me. They, thankfully, said Yes.

Most of the rest is public record. From that habit came the

Childrens Safety Village of Brant, the Kiwanis Club of Paris

and the knowledge that hundreds of lives have been changed

for the better because of some dreaming and help from people

who said yes.

My current project is to help the Kiwanis Club of

Paris-Brant become the large, thriving community service

group that it is capable of being. Were what is referred to as a

3-2-1 Club. We have one meeting a month. That is a business

meeting that lasts about an hour. We are service oriented and

do more servicing than meeting. Satellites are an option with

our format, with 6-10 members working at a location away

from the main club, but with the full support and cooperation

of it. One item on my Kiwanis Bucket List is a Young

Professionals Club, starting as a satellite, but emphasis on

younger members.

I once heard the statement It takes one to make a

difference. I am proud to have been one and will continue

to do what I can to make a difference in peoples lives. I

believe in H.O.P.E (Help Other People Excel) I believe that if

you have read this far, we need to find out if you are ONE, too.

By Becca Vandekemp

Blame it on My ParentsBy Paul Thomson

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9/12


Ridiculous Love

People who dont fight in marriage concern me. My

wife Krissy and I are scrappers. While dating, one of our first

TALK talks, we decided to just tell each other every bad

thing we've ever done to see if we still liked each other after.

It was awkward and difficult and stirred up quite a wide

array of emotions. The unexpected result was that after

hearing it, like turned into love because it made us both want

to fight for each others freedom. But we haven't always

been able to be that mature about it.

We celebrated our second anniversary in Accra,

Ghana by eating a machete-cut pineapple from a roadsidewheelbarrow and fighting with each other. It was a doozy

too. We were just beginning the process of learning how to

do marriage together and we were thrust into a situation

where we were right beside each other 24/7. Sleeping in a

broken bed ...sweating together. In taxis and Trotro buses...

sweating together. In a classroom... sweating together. Sitting

in various states of undress playing rummy and watching

decades old reruns of The Bold and the Beautiful on Ghana-

ian TV... sweating together.

We completely got on each others nerves. And when

I say that, what I really mean is that we got to the point

where every time the other did something, we were banking

our anger so that at the next available outlet, we'd go down

the same you did, you said, you are road again. That muggy

night, we retreated to our bedroom to fight, and I was a par-

ticularly harsh jerk to my wife. I don't remember the

specifics of what I said, but I do remember exactly what she

said. I watched her hit her breaking point and look up at me

with tears in her eyes and say,

Dave, I don't need you to criticize me anymore.

What I need from you is to love me anyway. I need Ridiculous

Love.

When she said the words ridiculous love they hit

me hard, and not in a fight back kinda way either. They were

the first words that either of us had ever said during a fight

that had settled something then and there. Our marriage

changed that night. We instituted a policy of ridiculous love.The plan was that whenever she'd do something that made

me mad, my job was not to give a death glare, criticize, or

store up my anger to let it loose in an argument later. My job

was to squeeze her hand and whisper the words ridiculous

love into her ear. Her job was to reciprocate by saying out

loud, "I receive it". And we made it our responsibilities to

mean it, and do it... even if we didn't feel it. Ridiculous love

is our policy until this very day. What it really is, is grace.

Its unmerited favour. And its necessary to make marriage,

and life, work.

Marriage really is a fairy tale, but not in THAT way.

Its a fairy tale that includes dragons, and fighting, and politics,

and lost friends, and hurt feelings, and poverty, and, and,

and, and... Your job is to squeeze your spouses hand and

honour the vows with ridiculous love. And sometimes you

have to believe it, and act it out, whether you feel it or not,

because you both need it. Marriage bears little resemblance

to the gooey-eyed idyllic imaginary paintings that little girls

suckle themselves to sleep with. The majority of the time,

marriage consists of brokering deals, uncomfortable compromises,

vigorous debate, weighing notions of morality and severing

one's own sense of entitlement.

Marriage is a voluntarily entered into institution that

contractually obligates your life to be about SOMEONE

ELSE.

I care about Brantford prospering. But Brantford is

the sum of its parts. The number one thing that can distractme from being the Dave I wish I could be each day, is when

things are not right in my relationship. And I suspect you

might be the same. And it happens! Thats Marriage! Dont

despair! Marriage promises mean something and our ability

to fulfil the love, honor and cherish part cannot be trusted

to feelings. Love is not a feeling. Its a choice. Kind of like

how we cant entrust the success of our New Years resolutions

to the euphoric buzz we get by merely WISHING for the

best.

Marriage IS like a fairy tale because even though

there are many trials to overcome, you get the chance to

overcome them together! It would be a pretty crappy fairy

tale if there were no obstacles. When its right, its filled with

ridiculous love. Something you have the ability to fill your

best friend full of as you send them out the door this morning

into our city to make a d ifference.

By Dave Carrol


10/12


Power TalkIts that time of year again; the tree is probably still

up, slightly wilted. The presents that you are keeping have

been put away, the rest have been returned, or are on re-gift

standby should you have an unexpected guest drop in.

New Years Eve has come and gone again too. And

those pesky resolutions you made last year are still out there

somewhere gathering dust.

Let me guess, you made a valiant pledge again this

year to, loose weight, make more money, get a new job, start

a relationship or end one, change hair color blah blah

blah, stop when I mention yours! The hard truth about

New Years resolutions is that, statically, only 50 % of the

population who make resolutions follow through with them

for more than 3 months!

So if you are one of the few congratulations. This

behaviour probably shows up elsewhere in your life too.

A resolution is merely a fancy word for a goal.

However, resolution sounds better when accompanied with a

glass or two of cheap champagne.

Goals are something that should be ongoing. Setting a goal

and achieving it means that you are growing. If something is

not growing, its dying. Worse than that, if you become

complacent you are dying on this vine we call life. It doesn't

sound very appealing now does it?

Like everything in life success leaves a multitude ofclues. There are strategies for achievement; the same way

there are strategies to win at a board game.

"Stop the tape here, and get a pen!"

Its important to remember that everything you have

created or achieved that is part of your outside world started

in your head as an idea. That idea then gained reliance, and

quickly became a goal. One of your earliest goals was to

speak your first word, followed by a first step, tying your

shoes and so on. Just imagine what your life would be like if

you had given up on the fundamental goals that shape your

world today. Setting goals creates the future in advance.

Goals are simply dreams with a time line attached to them.

The key to achievement is similar to the rules for building a

house. The first step is to conceive it. Make the goal real in

your head. Then you must put total belief behind whatever it

is you want to accomplish. Creating a detailed blueprint will

allow you to see what your goals look like on paper. Theproblem that most people run into is, they speak their goals,

but that's usually where it ends.

As simple as it sounds: "Write them down". More

importantly, make them compelling enough so you must

achieve them. Dig deep into your core and build a list of

goals that if obtained will have a dramatic effect on your life.

Start with 2 or 3 at most. The next step is to put them in

priorities sequence.

Following that, attach a date to each goal, a date thatindicates when you will achieve that particular goal. You

must decide what actions you will take consistently in order

to reach your goals.

Keep this in mind. When you talk about it, its a dream.

When you visualize it, it gets exciting. When you plan it, its

possible. But when you schedule it, ITS REAL. (Tony Robbins)

For example, one of the most common resolutions

people make is to get fit or lose weight. The question is: what

does that really mean? If you want to lose weight, how

much, by when, and using what method? These are the

questions you need answered to be successful.

Once you have determined the why's and how's the

reasons and answers. You can move forward with your

action plan. Figure out what actions you have to take every

day to successfully achieve your goals.

All this takes planning, but I assure you, if you do it

this way, you have a very good chance of becoming one of

the 5%!

Don't dream it, be it.

Always Live with Passion.

By Mark Gaylard

Youth With Potential: The Seed of an IdeaAs someone who was born on the Six Nations

reserve, and has spent most of their life in Brantford, I have

many stories about this community to share that I have

learned in the school of life. One of those is the story of how

Arts After School Kids was born in this community.

As a youth I attended Joseph Brant Secondary School

and, at that time, I was challenged with many of the issues

youth experience. I didnt know who I was, I was confused,

and I wanted to grow up but didnt know how. I began

experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which took over my

life for 30 years, and I missed out on the many rites of

passages that youth experience while growing up.

One thing that did stay with me through the school

years was a teacher I had, Miss Angie Todd. She did singing

at the end of every day at school, and it was great! I also

fondly remember choreographing a dance for the talent

show, science classes, and any classes that were hands on

and outside of the classroom stayed with me as positive

memories. It was all arts-based activities that kept the spirit

alive.

I have nine grandchildren and have been honoured to

watch them mature and learn through the different stages of

growth. In the neighbourhood, all of the children got my

attention, not just my own grandchildren. They all were

walking around with a spark of something missing in their

energy. They were looking very bored, hooked on video

games, not playing outside; part of the light they carried

within them was very dim. What was missing? I was

focused, and visioning what we could do for the children in

our community to fill this void they appeared to have inside.

One day in April I was watching the Dr. Phil show,

and he was showing great segments on foster children and

many other success stories. But that was not what I was look-

ing for. Then, in the last 10 minutes of his show, they showedFred Martin and the Urban Institute, which featured youth

singing and really enjoying and feeling the music. It struck

me! Thats it! They need to be creative, and they need to tap

into their creativity within to wake the spirit.

Following this epiphany, I approached the Principal

at Bellview School in Eagle Place, Mr. Vern Payne, and I

asked him if we could possibly do some learning through the

arts with the students in the schools. He suggested it was

very expensive and probably would not be approved. I went

home to ponder some more on how we can offer the students

some type of programming that would help to fill the void. In

the meantime, while walking downtown Brantford, I ran into

a lady who I had met during my schooling at Wilfrid Laurier

in Brantford, Peggy Weston. Peggy had completed her

Masters at Laurier Brantford in Community Psychology and

Community Development. We began chatting, and I said I

had an idea. I told her that I would like to create a space for

youth to play music. Knowing from my past that I needed

something or someone to help me connect and tap into artistic

abilities, this may have changed my life path. Peggy agreed

that this was a wonderful idea and told me to go for it.

I returned to Bellview School, and approached Mr. Payne

with a new idea. He made the choice to support me, and to

allow me to create this space for the students ages 11-14 to

explore the arts. The pilot program began at Joseph Brant

School.

I was ecstatic and excited! Out came the flip chart

paper taped to my living room walls and the brainstorming

began. I was in contact with Mr. Fred Martin and shared my

idea, and how I was inspired to go this route with the

students. Because the students in this age group (11-14)

gravitate to wanting to be in a rock and roll band, that is what

was set up for them.

A Steering Committee was formed from communityand school members: Vern Payne, Kika Mowray, Brent

Goodnough, Peggy Weston, Kelly Anderson, and Robert

Simons. Wesley United Church, located in Eagle Place at the

time, partnered with us to assist in Trillium Funding and to

be a lead agency. We held fundraisers and performances at

the church for three years. Then when Joseph Brant decided

to close the doors for education of secondary students,

AASK moved to Immanuel Baptist Church and began to pay

rent, and insurance. We also this made the space available for

students from Jean Vanier Catholic School in the Eagle Place area.

The pilot program consisted of acoustic guitars,

keyboards, drums, and vocals from February to June of 2007.

The program was incredibly successful, and laid the foundation

that we have been building on for nearly 5 years. Stage two

of the program consists of students participating after school

twice a week for hands on learning and lessons. The program

was free to students when we introduced it in 2007, and

continues to be free to this day. Thanks to the dedication of

so many incredible people, what started as an idea has

become a reality!

The Arts are powerful. They have the ability to foster

creativity in children, creativity that they never lose as they

get older. With teaching of the Arts fading from our class-

rooms, so its our job as a community to teach our children

about them.

I am one of many in this community who is doing my

part to teach our children about the Arts. I hope more people

will soon join us.

By Gayle Myke


11/12


From DJ to MMABy Steph Paige

Mixed martial arts (MMA) has been around for quite

some time, The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has,

love it or hate it, made MMA known in almost every house-

hold. What many may not know is that MMA has a strong-

hold here in Brantford as well.

The Caged Dragon will be celebrating its 5th anniversary

on February 1, 2012. In a keen interest to learn more about

where it is heading in the next five years, I thought it was

important to first learn about its origins, in a time when

Mixed Martial Arts was beginning its ascent in mainstream sport.

Todd Whetter, owner of the Caged Dragon, was

previously living the DJ lifestyle. He was performing at

venues around the world, travelling through Europe and all

kinds of places most only dream of. Yet as many may agree,

the late-night clubbing lifestyle was not sustainable forever.

Knowing this, but unsure of his next venture, Todd attendedUFC 58 in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a fan, on March 4th, 2006.

The energy of a live event is one which cannot be

explained through words, it simply has to be experienced. In

what was dubbed the Canada vs. USA match, one particular

fighter on the card stood out. Mark Hominick, a London,

Ontario native, drew the attention of many with his submission

win. Todd, also a native of London, realized this was truly

something anyone could do. The entire experience of UFC

58, as time would quickly prove, was a life changing experience

for him. Todd knew this was a sport he needed to get into,

whether that be through competing or opening a gym. He

wasnt yet sure where the sport would take him.

Leaving the excitement that is Las Vegas behind him,

Todd contacted renowned MMA trainer Shawn Tompkins

upon his return home. Tompkins, an Ingersoll native, trained

Hominick and many other notable MMA fighters. Now

living in Brantford, Todd began commuting back and forth

between London to train under Tompkins. Going into this

training for the first time, Todds starting weight was 240lbs.

While speaking with him, the first thing immediately evident

to me was the health impact this kind of training has. Having

later competed in divisions as low as 160lbs, the passion and

dedication to training was clearly paid off in numerous ways.

A few months into training, Todd injured his knee.

While some may allow an injury to impede their progress, he

did the exact opposite. As the commute between Brantfordand London began to take its toll, he decided it was time for

Brantford to have its own MMA gym. While sourcing out a

gym location on Copernicus Boulevard, Todd began, through

his own finances, to acquire all that would be needed for a

gym. Used mats and equipment were purchased from other

gyms and the first ring was built, wooden frame and all, by

Todd with the help of others. All this led to the gyms official

opening on February 1, 2007.

As the gym grew, the pillars of its success went well

beyond the initial MMA inspiration. Childrens programs

have become the backbone of the Caged Dragon, which are

not MMA by any means. That has allowed Todd to bring

everyone in the community to Caged Dragon, regardless of

whether or not they share his passion for MMA. As I entered

the gym, the current renovations seem to be a sign of

continued growth.

Reflecting back on five years, from discovering his

passion to then acting to turn that passion into a career,

Todds goal for the next five years is to continue to breedworld champions, and get some MMA belts on those who

train there. With an already impressive roster of champions,

the aim is to continue to grow the list.

While many people make resolutions each January,

my challenge is for everyone to act on what theyre passionate

about, as Todd did when pursuing his MMA dream.

Come Visit Our NewBrantford Location368 Colborne Street

Why Not City Missions / Youth Centres has been actively reaching the at-risk youth,

the disadvantaged and the homeless population since 2002. Founded by Charlie and

Sue Kopczyk, the Mission is still providing food and clothing for those in need.

Brantford Paris Burford St. Georgewhynotyouthcentres.com 519.759.2221


12/12

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PhotographcourtesyofThePhotohouse,c/oPaulSmith.

the brant advocate, issue 5, january 2012

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