Wednesday, March 28, 2007 · Page 11 Creative fundraiser benefits food bank BY DANIEL SCHWAB Woodslee's Danielle Rolston was kind of bored over the March Break. That is, until she converted a grocery box and a set of Popsicle sticks into a puppet theatre, turning the performances into a fundraiser for the Essex Area Food Bank. With a little help from her grandma Sue and her mom Holly, the junior kindergartener designed programs and charged an admission of canned goods for all those invited to the show. "Danielle went through all her catalogues and cut out pictures of faces of her favourite cartoon characters, pasted them on Popsicle sticks and painted her puppet theatre all by herself," Holly said. About 20 friends and family members attended and a variety of more than 50 Census results released CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 Essex was also below Canada's average for small towns and rural areas, which grew one per cent between 2001 and 2006. In 2006, fewer than 20 per cent of Canadians, or about 6 million, were living in small town and rural areas. The number of occupied private dwellings in Canada continues to grow at a faster rate than the country's population, as it has since 1971. The 2006 census counted 7,642 occupied private dwellings in Essex, part of the 12,435,520 total occupied private dwellings counted across Canada. Chance to win $15,000 in Retirees' 50/50 lottery Essex Retirees' Social Club's new 50/50 lottery is running from now until the draw date of Sept. 11, 2007. Six hundred tickets have been printed and are now on sale for $50 each. One lucky person will win half of the money raised from ticket sales, which is expected to be $15,000 based on selling all 600 tickets. The winner will be announced at the monthly pot luck lunch at the club on the corner of Centre and Russell Streets in Essex. Everyone is invited to this very special event. Lunch starts at noon and the winner will be drawn at 1 p.m. Essex Retirees' Social Club is holding this 50/50 lottery to raise funds for club development, including new Four-year-old Danielle Rolston poses in front of her puppet theatre that generated more than 50 canned goods for the Essex Area Food Bank. Danielle held the performances over the March Break and invited her friends and family members to attend, asking for donations of canned goods as admission. canned goods and dry foods were accumulated. Danielle, though a little shy, proudly accompanied her mom to the Essex Area Food Bank to deliver the goods on Thursday, where volunteers thanked and congratulated her for her creative generosity. Danielle said she had a lot of fun performing her puppet show. "I am very proud to be her mom," Holly added. Based on similar programs implemented in the United States, the costs vary from $60,000 to $150,000. Another option would be a voucher program that would allow residents who regularly visit clinics to have their fees paid for at the municipality's expense. According to Jazzpurr research, the voucher program tends to be less successful than the use of a mobile spay and neuter clinic. Feral cat strategy discussed Less than a week after an Essex resident complained of having to pay $420 to transport 24 cats found on her property to the Humane Society of Windsor-Essex County, Essex town council was presented with a strategy aimed at reducing the number of feral cats in the area. Brien Avenue resident Kathy Fairbairn told council that people who find stray cats hanging around their homes shouldn't have to pay the drop-off fees required by the Humane Society, and she asked for "some direction" on the issue. She was told that council was waiting on recommendations from Windsor's Jazzpurr Society for Animal Protection, which provided each municipality with a list of choices on how to address the problem days after the meeting. According to the report issued by Jazzpurr president Dorit Girash, licensing, building shelters and "catch and kill" programs do not work to minimize the number of stray cats. Instead, it is being suggested that municipalities use a mobile spay and neuter clinic a van fully equipped with a surgical suite and recovery room. "These are very popular in the United States and have been extremely effective in humanely reducing the number of homeless animals," the report stated. "With county support, the problem has the potential to be solved within two to four years." When a community's stray cat problem is under control, the van can be sold or leased to other municipalities in the province, Jazzpurr suggested. A licence fee is being proposed for feral caregivers "to ensure proper care and neighbourhood support and to defray costs." Under Ontario regulations, municipalities would be allowed to own or operate a mobile spay clinic. program development and implementation, strengthening of existing programs, marketing, and new member recruitment. For more information on purchasing a ticket, please call the club at 519-7766689. Tickets and order forms are available for pick up at the following locations in Essex: Essex Retirees' Social Club, Connel's Nutrition & Health Centre, Stationery & Stuff, Amy Belles Fashions, Essex Home Furniture and The Essex Free Press. The Club has been providing recreational, educational and social opportunities for older adults in the community for over 30 years and currently offers over 15 regular weekly activities. Annual ESSEX RETIREES' SOCIAL CLUB SATURDAY, MARCH 31 9 TO 2 P.M. Crafts, baked goods, white elephant, used books and puzzles! Join Us for Lunch from 11:30 to 1:00 handmade soup, sandwiches, pie, tea or coffee. Everyone welcome. 32 RUSSELL ST., ESSEX · 519-776-6689 AMHERSTBURG ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH 157 SAT., MARCH 31 4 P.M. - 7 P.M. EAT IN OR TAKE OUT WE AL LC L OM E! Your e Choic ow Shop NBest for th e i on! Select It's Time To Say Goodbye! Storewide Sales of Fabrics, Notions, Books and Patterns. "The Quilting Store" Pickerel/Frog Legs - $9.00/Plate Lake Erie Yellow Perch $10.00/Plate 281 DALHOUSIE ST., AMHERTSBURG · 519-736-4485 GOOD FRIDAY SPECIALS! APRIL 6TH Cod. . . . . . . . . . . . $8.00 per plate Pickerel . . . . . . . . $9.00 per plate Kwik Sew Patterns Join Us! 183 Talbot St. South Tel: (519)776-5363 CLOSED MONDAY 50 off %