Community Profile Local man stays connected with community BY CRYSTAL KOTOW When it comes to being involved in Essex, former town councillor Jim Hatt knows best. Hatt currently organizes the Essex Fun Fest church service and has been doing so for over 20 years. During his nine years as councillor, he was known best for being the man behind the organization of the Fun Fest. After the Soybean Festival wound up its operation in the 1970s due to a lack of volunteers, Hatt knew the town needed something else, even if it was just for the purpose of "reaching out and publicizing the town." Even after 20 years, Hatt says there's still a lot of planning that goes into the Jim Hatt, 60, sits next to his wife Arleen in their living room June 30. Hatt's church service offered to involvement in the community has given him the opportunity to meet many people of all religious people. A former school teacher and principal, Hatt is also one of the founders of the Essex Fun Fest and its annual church service. denominations. "Every year you have to get letters out to local "The course was helpful 1988 federal Canadian elec- involvement, Hatt was most churches and make people for me as a human being," tion. He attended a proud to be part of the video aware," he said. "It's he said. "It really helped Conservative nomination documentation of historical always over in the Sadlers's me grow." meeting and ended up Essex. Three videos were pond area and it's a very During the course he speaking with then Minister produced. He also worked calming place to have it. learned about leadership of Tourism Tom Hawkins. bingos to raise money for Out in nature, right out in development and theology. He told Hawkins about the the train station, sat in on God's world." He participated in Bible train station and asked him "public evenings" during Hatt recently participated study, worship and said it for financial help in the which people could come to in a 16-day course at the was an intense workshop. restoration. Soon after, talk about past events in Centre for Christian Studies Hatt's involvement with Hatt flew to Ottawa with Essex and was involved in in Winnipeg. The centre is the Fun Fest and its church the town's chief administra- numerous fundraising a United and Anglican service resulted from his tive officer, Wayne Miller, events for different causes. Church training centre for three terms on town coun- at Hawkins' request. "Heritage had always diaconal ministers. cil. Hatt was elected to "He wanted to meet with been something that interHatt decided to take part council in 1985. He decid- us," he said. "And by the ested me," he said. "The in the course because he's ed to run for election after end of it we had gotten the train station was one of the been involved with the serving as a volunteer on funding for the train sta- reasons I wanted to get on Essex United Church in the Parks and Recreation tion." council so it was only natumany ways. He currently committee in the 1970s. In addition to the com- ral that I follow up on it. serves on the Worship com"I just thought there were mittees and groups Hatt has Essex has such an interestmittee and the Christian some things that needed to been involved with over the ing history." Education committee. be done around Essex," he years, he retired last Just after being elected to After a series of interviews, said. "I was interested in February from his position council, Hatt retired from his "discernment commit- promotion of our munici- as past president of his 33-year career as a tee" decided Hatt should pality." Heritage Essex. He served teacher and principal. He train for the staff associate Hatt was most interested as president for seven years taught at Maidstone ministry. The course in in the restoration of the and as past president for Central, was principal at Winnipeg 10.25x40L-2C-149 Essex train12:20 PM Page 1three. station. He Puce Public, Sandwich DEA63071 gave him the 6/29/06 training he needed. recalls the evening of the Over the course of his West and Gosfield North CLARICA PLANTS 10,000 FLAGS Free Press Photo/Mariah Vizi For the third year running, local Clarica/Sun Life advisors took to the streets at dusk to plant nearly 10,000 flags on the lawns, in parks and along main streets in Windsor and Essex County. Dubbed one of Clarica's "random acts of kindness", the activity involved six advisors working between dusk on Fri., June 30 and dawn on Canada Day morning to plant a sea of red and white flags in honour of Canada's birthday. Participating this year were planners Jim Augerman, Tammy Cooper, Scott Collier, Jonathan Roung, Alynn Anglin and Jason Trudeau. "Tammy is certainly the ring leader of the group," said Augerman. "With her son and daughter-in-law serving in the Canadian Forces and my eight years in the Reserves, this day holds a little extra meaning for both of us." "This year we decided to go big or go home," said Cooper. "We started with 1,000 flags, then 2,500 and this year we will get pretty close to 10,000 in all. It's a lot of fun when the sun comes up and the walkers hit the streets, to see the smiles on their faces." Local Clarica advisors use the event as a way of saying thank you to their clients, community and country. grade schools and was vice principal at Jack Miner grade school. "When I was five years old I knew I wanted to teach," he said. "I don't know why, I just knew from when I was little that it's what I wanted to do. The thing I miss most about my career are the kids." Hatt recently attended the last graduation ceremony at Puce Public School. Each year he presents a humanitarian award given in his name. He is honoured to say he was the first principal at Puce Public after it became a French immersion school. An award given in his name at each graduation was the gift he was given upon leaving the school. "The award is given to a student who most lives out the golden rule," he said. "That is `do unto others as you'd have done unto you.'" These days Hatt enjoys spending time with his family. He has two children with his wife, Arleen, and four grandchildren. He also spends three nights a week practising with barbershop singing groups. "I sing with the Sun Parlour Chorus, the Generation Gap quartet, and with a small group in Essex," he said. "They don't really have a name. We just call ourselves `a whole bunch of guys who just like to sing." Being as involved as Hatt has been, he said he's met so many people who have influenced his life. "Over the years you come to know so many faces," he said. "I really love that close-knit feeling of a small town. Everybody cares about you."