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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, May 14, 2014 | 6 Drive to arrive alive and enjoy summer With one of the worst winters behind us, coupled with a slow start to spring, it's hard to believe the unof cial start to summer is this weekend. The Victoria Day long weekend is the signal to open up cottages, enjoy downtime with family and friends and, if so inclined, do a little gardening to spruce up the homestead. It is also the time of year that sends collective chills down the spines of all rst responders. For some reason, a few of us throw all caution to the wind and drink far more than we should, drive faster and more aggressively, ride bikes and all-terrain vehicles without protective head gear, and, generally, decide to dance precariously close to the edge of life. Despite all the fair warnings from police services across the province, there will be accidents -- some fatal --because someone was drunk, decided to text a friend while driving or thought they could make it to Collingwood faster than his or her buddies. Each holiday weekend, we write in this space cautioning people to just enjoy the time off and not put their life or the lives of others in danger. There will always be individuals who think they can cheat death_-- or the law. The OPP sent out a news release Monday noting that off-road vehicle (ORV) and motorcycle fatality statistics have reached a four-year high. And, if you pardon the pun, the cops want to put the brakes on that growing number. A total of 20 people died in ORV incidents in OPP jurisdictions last year, compared to 12 in 2012, 14 in 2011 and 17 in 2010. Of the 20 fatalities in 2013, 13 of them were attributed to lack of helmet use and nine of them involved alcohol consumption. A total of 28 motorcyclists died (in the OPP coverage area) last year, compared to 26 in 2012 and 21 in 2011. While impaired, aggressive and distracted driving are all common contributing factors in motorcycle crashes, the OPP noted that more than half of motorcycle deaths were the result of the actions of another driver. Canada Road Safety Week runs until May 19 and during this time, the OPP and its policing partners, including Halton Regional Police, are focusing their education and enforcement efforts on the `Big Four' bad driving behaviours in Ontario. They are: driving impaired by alcohol or drugs, failure to use or improper use of seat belts, distracted and aggressive driving. On Halton roads, local police say there have been 49 deaths and 107 serious injuries over the last four years related to vehicle collisions. Canada Road Safety Week is a reminder that an essential part of the enforcement job is to save lives and reduce injuries on roads. It is sponsored by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and Transport Canada and is part of a safety strategy which has a goal of making the country's roads among the safest in the world by 2015. We hope everyone has fun this long weekend and we also hope you are still around next week to enjoy the upcoming summer months. Editorial "Connected to your Community" Letters to the Editor 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 57 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice ­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN A yard sale was held outside three homes on the Smith family's court to help raise funds to pay for Bryce Smith's cancer drug Avastin. Avastin is used to treat Bryce's brain tumor, however is not covered by insurance. From left, Jen Shepley, cancer survivor Jeff Walker and Bryce's mother Lyn Smith help with the sale.| photo by Inger MacK- RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Today, thanks to the support of so many great friends and family, we raised $7,500 towards more Avastin treatments for Bryce. Our neighbours, Bruce and Fran, Gary and June, Jodi and Todd and all the Gruber clan plus Carole, Barb, Chantel, Jan, Stan, Karen, Bill, Ava and Lauren all worked so hard to make the event such a success. We had a second location in east Oakville Fundraiser showed how caring people are enzie - special to the Beaver MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution where Rachel and her neighbours had a sale and added their monies as well. We are so blessed to have so much support from so many wonderful people. Today really demonstrated how kind and caring people can be. Please continue to keep Bryce in your prayers. Lyn and Jim Smith, Oakville CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Kielburger and Ford inspiring youths Like it or not, one day the world is going to have to be transferred into the hands of the youths. All of the problems adults deal with will be passed on to their kids. To some, this might arouse some worry. It may seem like a non-achievable goal -- there were so many good that people did their very best to improve the world. Craig Kielburger, co- founder of Free the Children, is one of these people, and he's going to do his very best to help Canada's youths change the world. The May 9th edition of the Oakville Beaver spoke of how Ford of Canada and the charity are having a cross-Canada campaign to drive young individuals to stand up for what they believe in. Kielburger is promoting such a campaign and as anyone who has heard his story would know -- he started the Free the Children organization when he was just 12 years old. Personally, I think this initiative is a fantastic idea. The kids of today need all the help they can get to follow in the previous generation's footsteps as far as improving the world. In Oakville, I don't know of many teens who have the inspiration to organize, perhaps, a neighbourhood bake sale, or a fundraiser for a good cause. Motivation can be at times, low in youths; I think that if the Ford-Kielburger operation was to visit our town, it could truly make a difference, now and for the future. Hunter Gutman, Oakville Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: 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, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via e-mail to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. 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. 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