The Chilliwack Progress from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada • Page 9

THE CHILLIWACK PROGRESS, Sunday, September 23, 2001 9 RUCjK1 Penny For Your Thoughts Putting their heads together K. 7 4 tT Chilliwack Cops for Cancer participants pause to have their new coiffure immortalized after they raised roughly $2,600 during a head shave at Cultus Lake on August 25. Left to right are: Const. Keith Horwood, Insp. Jack Skrine, Manestop stylist Bonnie Broeckx, Const.

Nels MacMorran, and Const. Dave Ossinger. In front is Councillor Chuck Stam and his five-year-old son, Brent. The youngster is a cancer survivor and big promoter of such events, arlene bramhau photo It's history now, but it was hot on August 25. And at least three police officers, one city councillor, and a little boy found a way to keep cool that day.

They had their heads shaved to raise money for research into cures for children's cancers. With the backing and the monetary support of their community, Const. Keith Horwood, Const. Nels MacMorran, Const. Dave Ossinger, and Councillor Chuck Stam raised approximately $2,600 for the cause.

Five-year-old Brent Stam, himself a cancer survivor, was one of the guys and had his head shaved too in support of the 'big "About 800 people came out to see this at the Cultus Lake Water Park," says spokesperson, Const. Shannon Stenbeck. "And, for us to raise that amount of money, is really great!" Part of the credit she says, belongs to Const. Chris Scott who helped organize the day and booked the bands to entertain the crowd. And the fun doesn't end here.

From September 24 to 30, Const. Stenbeck will be part of this year's Cops for Cancer bicycle ride 600 km from Powell River to Hope and White Rock. Each participant is collecting pledges and all the money raised will go to research into cures for childhood cancers. "We (the riders) will be stopping for lunch at Ricky's All Day Grill on Luckakuck Way, at noon on September 26," adds Const. Stenbeck.

"We invite the public to join us and to help spur us on." Of course Const. Stenbeck needs our backing now. Pledges can be dropped off at the Chilliwack Detachment or at the Canadian Cancer Society office on Mary Street. In the meantime, Const. Stenbeck is in training.

If you see her 'on the give her a friendly wave it helps keep her going. Whatchaupta today? I've always enjoyed garage sales. In fact, I can safely say that every room in my home features at least something that either came from a garage sale or a second-hand store. So, when I hear there is a garage sale on behalf of a good cause, I tingle with anticipation possible treasures for me, definite help for someone else. Diane Neufeld and Betty Champ, both realtors with Royal Lepage, are banking on everyone feeling the same way.

They've organized the business' garage sale today, at the office at 8337 Young Rd. Thanks to donations from throughout the community, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., you'll not only find yourself a treasure or two, but you'll be helping the Ann Davis Transition Society. Please, just leave the cat stuff, the houseplants, crochet hooks, and the fish-shaped soap dishes for me. If you need to know more, call the Royal Lepage office at 604-792-0077.

While you're out today When paid-on-call firefighter, Brian Notheisz, called PFYT to tell me about a fundraising car wash the guys were holding to raise money for the families of New York firefighters killed in the terrorist attack, I was touched. And interested. As he explained how, today, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Husky Station on Vedder and Luckakuck, 10 to 15 real, live firefighters would be washing cars by donation I figured this had to be a fantasy come true for any woman. "We're calling this a combination car wash and boot drive," says Mr.

Notheisz. "The guys have done a few car washes this summer and, if we can raise a couple of grand on September 23, that would be nice." When I asked him how many cars the guys could clean in four hours, he was unsure. But he did say three or four firefighters could wash a full-sized firetruck in five minutes, I was impressed, then a little saddened. I might have to re-dirty my little car and go through twice! Ryu's doggone good He tips the scale at 17 pounds but, as of Labour Day, the seven year old is carrying a title that seems to outweigh him. Ryu, a shih-tzu-toy poodle cross, was awarded third national finalist for the Agility Association of Canada's first national event held this year, at Spruce Meadows in Calgary.

"Ryu is Japanese for 'dragon'," enthuses his trainer and owner, Renee Hughes. "And he was really breathing fire against the other 272 dogs in this competition." As many canine agility fans may have seen on television he's been having sessions only once every two months," continues Ms. Bedard. "That's how backed up our B.C. system is for infant development therapy." Jalean Blank plans to take sign language as 40 per cent of Cri-Du-Chat children, do not talk and about the same number, do not walk.

Obviously speech and physio therapy are imperative. "We also discovered Cri-Du-Chat kids love water," adds Ms. Bedard. "So we are in the process of finding someone who does water therapy." Thanks to the conference, Ms. Bedard has developed links with similar families across North America and found two Cri-Du-Chat youngsters in B.C.

one in Prince George and another in Vancouver. The Internet helps keep everyone in touch and up-to-date. "We rely on these families for advice," Ms. Bedard points out. "Because the syndrome is so rare, most of the professionals we were in contact with, didn't know any more than we did about it." While in Toronto, the trio attended several workshops dealing with language, behaviour, sensory integration, early intervention, and communicative devices.

"I couldn't stop staring at the kids. They all have their own traits, but they all look alike," writes Ms. Bedard. "I can't explain what it's like to see your grandchild duplicated over and over still get very emotional when I think of all those children." Her missive closes with heartfelt gratitude to Chilliwack for the chance to learn how best to help little Weston. "The conference was the most-wonderful thing that could have happened," Ms.

Bedard signs off. "Next year's gathering is in Salt Lake City, Utah, and we'll do whatever we have to in order to get there too." NOTE: If there are any service clubs, businesses or organizations out there willing to take this on, give PFYT a call. Hard work recognized Georges and Janice Uebelhardt are smiling these days. So is Judy de Jager. Their grins come as a result of the judges' tallies for the 2001 AgriOpenFarm Competition for British Columbia.

The Uebelhardts' Greenhill Acres won for the Fraser Valley, and Ms. de Jager's Dried Flowers by Judy took honourable mention for the same region. Take a drive and check them out. shows, Ryu's title came from his aggregate score over six races involving tunnels, wave poles, teeter-totters, and hoops. "I think his favourite obstacle is the table," giggles Ms.

Hughes. "He likes sniffing that because girl dogs have been there before him," His least favourite is likely the dog-walk bridge because, in his quest for speed, the tiny paws sometimes miss the jump-off contact point. Because he is not a registered purebred, Ryu cannot compete in Canadian Kennel Club events a problem Ms. Hughes has corrected with her second dog, a registered, 17-month-old Sheltie named Dash. "When she's as good as Ryu, Dash will be able to compete in a CKC event or an Agility Association event," says Ms.

Hughes. "But, in the meantime, Ryu and I will keep working and perhaps take the number one spot in the 2002 meet in Toronto next year." This year, the little white mop lost first place to a Jack Russell terrier by a 40-point spread, and second place to a toy poodle by a mere four points. Both were from Ontario. It's likely Ryu is able to do well at trials not only because he is intelligent, but because his owner is herself a master-level utility judge. Take a bow Chilliwack Ever wonder what happened next after you read stories in the Progress? Well, recently, the ever-thoughtful Betty Bedard anticipated our collective curiosity and sent PFYT a follow up on what she learned at a summer Cri-Du-Chat conference in Toronto.

Being able to attend the July 25 to 29 gathering with her daughter Jalean Blank, and her year-old-grandson Weston Blank was her Christmas wish for 2000. Through the Progress, it was granted with the help of friends, family, countless readers, Chilliwack's Carlson Wagonlit Travel, and Canada 3000. "After we got home, our heads were so full of information we spent the first week just trying to digest what we had learned," writes Ms. Bedard. "Then we went into action and started a developmental plan for Weston." The toddler, who will turn two on November 30, is the one in roughly 50,000 live births to have Cri-Du-Chat or Cat Cry syndrome.

It is caused by a depletion of the short arm of the fifth chromosome and results in low birth weight, small head circumference, breathing and swallowing difficulties as well as mental and physical developmental delays. "We learned Weston should be getting physio weekly, and.