Robert Plourde, Co-Chair of the Blood Donor Clinic for the Knights of Columbus Council #5005, not only helps organize the clinic for the Canadian Blood Services staff, he also donates a unit of his own blood four times a year. In fact, Robert has been so faithfully giving this precious gift over the years that on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 , he joined the “Century Club” for blood donors.   

   In the photo above, he is shown with Clinic Assistant, Jeannie Chamberlain, going through the 'Tech Registration' part of the process. Everyone must go to this table to register and have a blood sample taken which will go through screening and testing before any of the donated blood will be used. This is Jeannie's 14th year with Canadian Blood Services.   

   According to Robert, he began donating blood quite innocently back in 1969. “I was attending upgrading classes in the evening at Sudbury High School , then known as Sheridan Tech. On this one evening our teacher told us that if we wanted to give blood we could miss class, so a friend of mine and I decided to give a pint of blood. In those days you got a shot of brandy when you gave blood. I wasn’t drinking, but my friend told me to take one anyway and give it to him. Ever since then I have been giving blood three or four times a year.”

   In fact, except for a period of seven years while he was working in Timmins , Robert has been extremely consistent in donating as often as he possibly could. Now, at the age of 59, he has achieved a goal that few people would ever reach.

Robert's blood type of A+ is one of the common ones, found in about 36% of the population. Type O+ is found in 38% of the population.

It usually takes less than one hour to go through the whole procedure. You cannot contract and diseases from donating blood and you can make donations again every 56 days.

For more information, contact 1-888-236-6283 or visit the web site at www.bloodservices.ca 

Once all of the registrations are taken and the teams formed, play is scheduled to begin the week of May 29, 2007. All games are played Monday through Thursday with the adults playing on Sunday evening as well. Make-up games are played on Fridays.

The Valley East Soccer Tournament is scheduled for the weekend of June 22, 23 and 24.

Playoffs are tentatively scheduled for August 7 to 12 inclusive with final playoff games occuring during the weekend of August 10 to 12.

If you require any further information contact the Soccer Line and leave a message at 969-8497.

According to Executive Director, Paul Brokenshire, "In the upcoming year the Human League will be feeding over 3000 hungry children a nutritious morning meal in area schools. The Human League will also sponsor approximately 400 underprivileged children to participate in recreational activities of their choice through the P.L.A.Y. Program (Positive Leisure Activities for Youth) and KIDSPORT ONTARIO - Sudbury Chapter.

You must submit your registration form and waiver fee of $30 per driver no later than June 11, 2007.

For more information on the derby you can contact one of the following people:

Paul Brokenshire at execdirector@bellnet.ca

Chantal Gorman at humanleague@bellnet.ca

Dan Ernst at ernst.dynatec@sympatico.ca

The play will be presented April 26, 27, 28 and May 3, 4, and 5.

It will be held at Ecole Secondaire Hanmer with show time at 7:00 p.m. each evening.

The show is directed by Carole Hawes with Luc Demers as the Stage Manager.

Tickets will be available at the door, but if you would like any more information, you can call Carole at 969-8397.

Despite being told that the plans to increase the total retail shopping space in Valley East by 20% through the addition of 200,000 square feet of box stores in a new development across from Carol Richard Park may have a devastating impact on the smaller 'Ma & Pa' stores, City Council went ahead and approved the project by rezoning the land to "General Commercial". 

However, in talking to dozens of local residents at the Hanmer Valley Shopping Centre recently, the large majority feel that no matter what stores come to the new development, they will still support their "Community Mall" because of the commitment that the owners, Val and Violet Mazzuca and the merchants have shown to the schools, churches and organization over the past years.

One man commented, "The large corporate box stores never get involved in sponsoring local sports teams and they could never do what you guys are doing here today."

He was referring to a typical weekend, such as that in the photo above, where the mall provided space to the Valley East Minor Soccer Club to take registrations; the Valley East Community Theatre Group for a penny table; the cast of 'NUNSENSE' to perform in the centre sitting area; the Lions Club to sell tickets; and the Human League Association to promote their Soap Box Derby.

Another female shopper stated, "We know how much this shopping centre means to our children and our seniors and everyone in between. We can come here to do some mall walking, have a coffee, sit in comfortable chairs, see our doctor, dentist, optometrist, denturist, pharmacist, lawyer, and buy anything we need from all of the retail stores. And we can do all of this under one roof in the cleanest shopping centre around. We won't forget what you have done to build this community."

Schools, churches, organizations and recreation groups are always welcome to contact the Mall Manager to book space in the shopping centre or to promote their activities on the community bulletin board. Just call Robert Kirwan at 969-7215 or 524-7006 for more information. Or you can email him at rkirwan@infocomcanada.com 

"It was nice for two days in a row, and the tracks were all melted, so you could see a lot of footprints all over the place," adds Roberge.

The club's hatchery is still expected to be opened in April. The club is made up of 72 members.

Any assistance to replace the stolen articles will be greatly appreciated.

Contact: Rolly Frappier walleye@sympatico.ca