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6- The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday May 23, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com OPINION & LETTERS The Oakville Beaver 467 Speers Rd., Oakville Ont. L6K 3S4 (905) 845-3824 Fax: 337-5567 Classified Advertising: 845-3824, ext. 224 Circulation: 845-9742 Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. THE OAKVILLE BEAVER IS PROUD OFFICIAL MEDIA SPONSOR FOR: The Oakville Beaver is a division of IAN OLIVER Group Publisher Media Group Ltd. NEIL OLIVER Publisher JILL DAVIS Editor in Chief ROD JERRED Managing Editor DANIEL BAIRD Advertising Director RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director TERI CASAS Business Manager MARK DILLS Director of Production MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager CHARLENE HALL Director of Distribution ALEXANDRIA CALHOUN Circ. Manager Don't wait until it's too late It's a topic that isn't often discussed openly and, to some, it carries an aspect of shame... something that should be kept under wraps. But those attitudes are slowly crumbling -- and wisely so -- in order to help those who need help. Suicide is not a pleasant subject, but it is only by talking about the problem that solutions can be found. Earlier this month, the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition launched its new website -- www.suicidepreventionhalton.ca -- which contains everything from various facts and figures related to suicide in Canada to a long list of contact numbers for services people can call when in crisis. "Our role is to educate people," said Margaret Mercer, a member of the Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition, who has lost a loved one to suicide. Mercer explains that suicide can be brought on by a number of different illnesses and causes and anyone who is feeling suicidal or isn't dealing with a medical professional can find help within the community on the website. Those who think suicide is not much of a problem in Halton may be surprised by the statistics on the website which show there is an average of 28 selfinflicted deaths in the region each year as well as 420 hospitalizations from suicide attempts. However, the site is not only for those contemplating suicide. There is another section dedicated to helping those affected by the loss of a loved one. It is estimated that at least 10 family members, friends or colleagues are affected by the death of a person who commits suicide. The website offers vital information on how people can cope with the loss and how to deal with the wide range of feelings they may experience. Perhaps most importantly, is a list of warning signs of what to look for in someone who may be contemplating suicide. The coalition has high hopes that by putting this crucial information on a website, people who may have been too embarrassed to attend a public seminar, may get the critical information that could help them or someone they know. Mercer admits the site is not equipped to handle people actively thinking of taking their own life and that if you or anyone you know is feeling suicidal it is best to call 911 immediately. However, this site may help someone you know and love from becoming a statistic. The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Re: Mayor's Awards Celebrating the Arts On May 12 I was selected as `Arts and Culture Mover and Shaker of the Year', for which I very warmly thank both the Arts Council and the Mayor. While the actual winning is important to me as an individual, the real importance lies in the fact that `The Mayor's Awards Celebrating the Arts' actually exists. Yes, it's true that I put in many hours of hard work. But I could have put in the same effort in many other locations and achieved just a fraction of what Oakville yielded. The fact is that Oakville is a very fertile cultural environment. Plenty of artistic talents worth celebrating in Oakville There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Oakville residents who daily participate in the arts. They sculpt, paint, dance, compose, conduct, play musical instruments, sew, act, direct, etc. Of all these people, only a handful will ever receive public recognition. Yet every one of them contributes directly and indirectly. Their direct contribution is obvious. We see their works on walls all over Oakville. We attend drama presentations and concerts. We go to The Poetry Café and other poetry readings. Far less obvious are the indirect contributions. Those of us involved in creative endeavours know, quite literally, how much better creativity makes us feel. We are more relaxed, more at peace with ourselves and our world. On the whole the act of creativity makes us happier and more content. And people who are happy and content are more likely to spread happiness and contentment to those around them. Happy and content people make this a better world. So the existence of `The Mayor's Awards Celebrating the Arts' sends an important message to all of us involved in creative endeavours. It tells us that, although for many of us, especially the poets, `there is no money' in what we do, there is great value. And our community appreciates that. ELKA RUTH ENOLA Pud BY STEVE NEASE snease@haltonsearch.com Why are Oakville buses idling? In an age when global warming is such a predominant concern, gas prices are so high and we are encouraging people to take public transit in order to help the environment; it is disconcerting that buses waiting to begin their routes are left idling with their engines on for up to 10 minutes at a time. See No page 10 The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.