The Chilliwack Progress from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada • Page 8

8 THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS WEEKEND, October 17, 2004 WEEKEND Penny For Your Thoughts Chilliwack actor, Bob Forsythe, in the hope that people would donate to the scholarship in Mr. Forsythe's name that has been established for theatre students at U.C.F.V. For what he guesses was his 80th marathon, Padre Haggarty was accompanied by his 36-year-old daughter, Christina Fyn. They were two of the race's 40,000 starters and its 33,500 finishers. "The race was great and Christina and I started and finished together," he tells PFYT.

"She set a good pace and I claimed fifth place out of more than 60 in my age group." He says more than one million people watched the event which took place in sunny, warm weather with light winds. "I hope some folks saw your article about my heading to the Chicago Marathon in support of the Bob Forsythe Memorial Scholarship (Progress, October 8), and decided to make a donation." Those wanting to honour Mr. Forsythe's memory and Padre Haggarty's efforts may do so by making their cheques payable to the U.C.F.V. Scholarship Fund, co UCFV, 33844 King Road, Abbotsford, B.C. V2S 7M8.

Write Bob Forsythe Memorial Scholarship on the notation line. As our good padre is a member of the Rotary Club of Chilliwack, his quest was promoted at the group's October 8 meeting by fellow Rotarian, Ian Fenwick. Padre Haggarty was, at that moment, winging his way east. NOTE: Despite the trip there and back in one weekend, the three-hour time change (both ways), and the formidable task he assigned himself, Padre Haggarty managed to remember to grab a couple of air sickness bags for Little Mountain teacher, Ken Pugh. Mr.

Pugh already has the Canadian record for the greatest number of different air sickness bags and now, with everyone's help, wants to topple the world record and make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. To qualify, all bags must include the name of the airline and passenger, the date, the origin and destination points and flight number. Donors are welcome to drop the bags off at The Progress. Into a second century Edith Crispin isn't just 100 years old. She's exactly 100 years and 10 days old today (October 17).

Ms. Crispin was born in Alliston, Ontario, on October 7, 1904. Her family moved to Moose Jaw when she was about four, then to their homestead in The Prairies around 1910. The homestead was near Regina in what was then the Northwest Territories as Saskatchewan did not yet exist. Now that Ms.

Crispin is living in Chilliwack, the Lynnwood Retirement Home marked the century milestone on her actual 100th birthday October 7. Family and friends held a second party on October 9. "Edith bought a new car three years ago so her grandkids can take her out," says Lynnwood community relations coordinator, Margaret Kostrzewa. "And she learning to play games on the computer her son gave her." In fact, although she's been long retired, Ms. Crispin is far from retiring.

"She's an avid bridge player, physically active and mentally very with it," granddaughter Terry Checkley testifies. "I attribute her longevity to her common sense. She's never smoked. She enjoys a glass of wine but never overdoes it and she's always been a doer." The now centenarian has long been an artist working first in pen and ink and then moving on to oil painting. At one point she worked for B.C.

Tel. Her late husband, Roy Crispin, was a Jack of all trades who fished, travelled, made cabinets and, as a hobby, made wine. The couple had two sons and a daughter. Their descen-dents include six grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. At the family gathering Ms.

Crispin met her sixth great-great-grandchild a five-day-old boy. There are also five step-great-grandchildren and their children within the family. "Edith is my role model and a great person to go shopping with," Ms. Checkley says. "She has great taste and tells you if an article of clothing doesn't look right.

The only problem is the two of us manage to spend a lot of money together." Now it's your turn Chilliwack Salvation Army pastor, Angus Haggarty, kept his promise. Now he's hoping the community will respond. The 65-year-old running enthusiast returned on Thanksgiving Day after taking part in Sunday's 26.2-mile or 42-kilometre Chicago Marathon. He made the run in memory of late everyone got a home except Sonny." He was fostered in a couple of homes and, in each case, through no fault of his own, had to be returned to CASH. Unfortunately, not being an alpha animal, he was picked on by a couple of larger cats.

"Really he's a lovely cat and deserves his own forever home," Ms. Waring points out. "He's shy, but he's gentle, neutered, vaccinated and polite." Sonny needs to be an indoor pet and preferably an only pet. What's more, because of his assorted life experiences he needs a human with some extra patience until he comes into his own and learns to believe in himself. If you have or know of a qualifying home for grey-and-white Sonny, please help him to start purring by calling CASH at 604-794-7233.

Feel free to mention this story. Auxiliary says thanks After the recent break-in and theft of cash at the Chilliwack Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shoppe on Main Street, public support has greatly cheered the outlet's dedicated volunteers. "The Progress story came out on October 12, and the very-next morning the phone was ringing with people wanting to donate good-quality, gently-used goods," says auxiliary president, Bobbie Manning. "We really want to thank everyone for bringing us clothing, dishes and wonderful 'white elephant' items." Buoyed by this show of generosity, Ms. Manning adds a community reminder of the auxiliary's all-important fundraising soup and sandwich Happy Day which this year is on November 26 at the Masonic Hall.

Doors open at 10:30 a.m. with lunch at 11:30 a.m. As always, the newly-stocked thrift shop is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It can be reached at 604-793-9222.

says thanks to RBC Chilliwack YMCA publicity person Jennifer Matthias happily wants to make her organization's gratitude known. "The staff and volunteers at the Chilliwack Family YMCA want to sincerely thank the volunteers from the Vedder Crossing Plaza RBC for their hard work September 23 during our Day of Caring," she writes. "Our Hocking Avenue Centre Beautification Project was an enormous undertaking because large bushes and shrubs had to be removed from the front of our building in order to make room for future landscaping." Along with RBC's partnership with the 'Y recognition also specifically goes to Lisa Coates, Jody Edwards, Devin Campbell, Keetah McBeath, Robin Klassen and Betty Cross. That our YMCA is appreciated by its members is clear. This year the centre on Hocking Avenue received three Circle of Excellence Awards for overall satisfaction, cleanliness and enhancing spirit, mind and body while delivering YMCA values.

"Every year, YMCA Canada randomly sends our questionnaires to members of Ys across Canada," says Ms. Matthias. "Recipients are asked to score their local association in a number of areas such as convenience, cleanliness, maintenance, safety and friendliness." Responses to this survey garnered the listed Serving Annual Members recognition. Retirement, Chapter Two "Hi Penny. I am sorry to hear you weren't well," Barb Finnigan e-mailed PFYT.

"Sure hope you're feeling better. Thanks for giving me an outlet to express myself (PFYT, August, 2004). I have always written about something. My father taught me to love words and all through school my favourite thing to do was to write essays. The following is the next chapter in my on-going search for the new me.Thanks again." Opening day and I wasn't there.

Well, it is now 6:1 5 p.m. on September 7th, 2004. It was the first day of school, and for the first time in almost 30 years, I wasn't part of the pleasant mayhem. I am, however, still upright and I only choked up twice. Once when I heard the children from my neighbourhood going to school (I wasn't up yet) and the second time when I saw them returning home a couple of hours later.

I had deliberately booked a manicure for 10 am that day thinking that if I indulged myself I wouldn't think about the fact that it was the first day of school. Wrong! Every woman I ran into that morning talked about nothing but. Either they were thrilled that their kids were back in school or they were having a little difficulty letting go. So much for that plan. I even drove a mile out of my way so I wouldn't have to drive by my old school.

My next stop on my totally self-indulgent day included a pit stop at my favourite cafe. Usually there are several familiar faces there and you can always count on some conversation with one or two. Wrong! That was during the summer and now these ladies are back among the employed. Oh well, I'll just sit and have a nice quiet cuppa and read the newspaper. Every front page headline announced to all and sundry that today is the first day of school! Traffic patterns were changed from the summer and motorists were being cautioned to slow down and watch out for the children.

Soon the little cafe began to fill up with either groups of ladies coming by after a round of golf or just one or two wanting a break from their day. In no time I found myself being included in a conversation about just how much younger the children looked this year compared to last year as they made their way to school. I just can't get away from it so I have decided not to try. I don't know if or when I will find what I am now. It will be a slow process I am sure; you don't lose 30 years overnight or even in a year.

I am hopeful it may not take a year as I contemplate joining a gym or signing up for a class that isn't pottery. I definitely have hope. Sonny's chance Jill Waring, a volunteer with Chilliwack Animal Safe Haven (CASH) called with some good news and with a request. "First 1 want to let you know that, as a result of your PFYT story in August, Snowflake found a home," she says. "It seems that a friend of a recently-widowed, elderly woman saw the story and thought the cat would make a perfect companion for this lonely person.

She saw the cat, brought the widow to see him too and, right off the bat, it was a perfect match. They took Snowflake home, he did a tour of the house then settled on her lap." Now Ms. Waring is campaigning on behalf of a very-timid, year-and-a-half old male cat named Sonny. "You actually called about him Penny," she says. "You called us because a mother and her kittens were abandoned in the dumpster behind Save-On-Foods.

We rescued the little family and i I ir ruM JrvS I I I t. tu, fy.