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The volunteer-run Block Parent program, which operates in, communities across Canada, began in Wa- terloo Region as a pilot pro- ject'in 1976 and at last count had 7,000 Block Parents, McFarlane said. The program is funded by a regional grant, and its ad- visory board includes repre- sentatives of the Waterloo Regional Police, Waterloo County boards of education and regional government. The 'ieay it works is this: volunteers display a red and white Block Parent sign in a window of their home to show they are available to anyone who needs help. When they are not available, the sign is removed. Children are taught at school to recognize the sign so they can seek help if they are lost, sick, injured, frightened by dogs, bullied by other children or both- She said she hoped the publicity given to the Sept. 8 incident would end the apathy of those who have dropped out of the Block Parent program and en- courage others to join. McFarlane said her reac- tion to the Sept. ' assault in- cident. which occurred in a park about 100 yards from the girl's home on Morgan Avenue, was "the same as any other sensitive human being and parent - anger, disgust." _ “All we can do is hopeful- ly educate people tharthe Block Parent sign and its use is a preventative as well as a safe haven, not only for children but for any per- son," she said. She also thought immedia- tely of the Block Parent pro- gram: _ _ She was interviewed Sa- turday at the Fairview Park Mall, where the Block Parent program had an in- formation booth as part of the Waterloo Regional Sa- fety Council's three-day “Cavalcade of Safety." Incidents such as the in. decent unult of a five. year-old Kitchener dgirl early this month can! be grevented by the Block arent program, says the programs Waterloo Region- al president. Jacqgn McFarlane said Bloch aunts ean't stop all such incidents from happen- ing, but "the possibility of prevention is there." Block parents can prevent assaults PRESIDENTS SAYS . l By Stewart Samarium! M Writer Senior citizens may have to m ove a little faster while crossing Waterloo streets following the failure Monday night of Alderman Mary Jane Mewhinney's bid to have warning signs installed near retirement Mewhinney told council that many seniors have dif- ficulty crossing busy streets where there are no cross- walk: or traffic lights. Her motion to have council consider designing and posting signs near senior's housing failed to get the necessary seconder _to bring it to a vote. . She told council that many seniors are '.‘insecure" about crossing streets and signs should be posted to alert motorists to slow down. She also said posting one or two signs would “only create confusion". but if a city-wide program was developed it would alleviate the confusion. Mewhinney's motion came after a group of seniors living at the Civitan Apartments on Erb St. com- plained about the difficulty of crossing streets to shop at the Towers Plan on Bridgeport Rd. . By Gui! Helium-0| /GGirGGtaeit _ ’by’cni'uiud regional tiamc of- MeWhinney loses bid for seniors' crossing Pike said. police received 96 reports of indecent as- sault involving both males and females last year. At that time she was coo- cerned because her two chil- dren had to walk'a long way to school and knew no one who lived along the route. But because it acts as a deterrent, he said there is no way of monitoring the program's success in reduc- ing the number of such in- cidents that occur. McFarlane, who has been president of the program since March. said she first became involved three years ago after moving to Waterloo from Winnipeg. She said her-son was once able to seek refuge in a Block Parent home during a Constable Roland Pike of the Waterloo Regional Po- lice, a member of the Block Parent pmgrarp's advisory board, said in a phone inter- view that the program is a "very effective form of de- terrent'"in the case of in- decent assault. He did not know how many indecent assault cases were reported by Block Parents, because these cases are included with other emergencies in a re- port submitted to police. MeFartiane said she did not know how many in- decent assault eases have been handled by Block Parents locally, but "we de- finitely have had assaults." She said the program is "just beginning to expand," and that it could be effective in reducing the number of indecent assaults in the re- gion. "We could do with every home being a Block Parent home. You could rest as- sured most of the time that there would be one sign up on the street.') Block Parents also help adults who may have lost their way, need to call I garage or fear they are being followed by a sinner. They are not are!“ to give first aid or and out food or drink. erg by sinners. But “ha not a bathroom facility or a cookie facility.“ bald McFarlane. stressing that Block Parents are only asked to provide protection and make a phone call to parents. police or an ambu- Schneider maintained "there's no doubt this is money well spent" and said the results of his company's research could have intema- tional significance and be of value to other firms when it's made public. "We're having some good success" with the research, he said. “The largest share is tied up in labor," he told the Chronicle in a phone inter- view. Herb Schneider, vice- president of personnel and public relations, said most of the funds are being used to pay the salaries of re- search personnel. (Continued from page " Jacqui McFarlane, president of the Waterloo Regional Block Parent program (right) at an information booth Saturday sat up as part of the Waterloo Regional Safety Council's "Cavalcade of Salety." is joined by Barbara Smola. a Block Parent volunteer from Kitchener. hailstorm. and the program gives her children a "real - at security." In an engineering report to council, Gord bemmon. deputy city engineer, said he had “serious reservati- ons" about the use of signs because, the city "'could become involved in a very expensive pedestrian cross- ing sign program ... that would have little impact on motorists' driving habits and pedestrian safety." "m ineet with se'nidrs toket their ideas, but I'll also be in touch with other groups to study the prob- lems and cost involved in and: a program.“ she said. "The signs could be posted near buildings tfiat are used by sailors ... I'm just trying to plan ahead for the future." in said. He said painted crosswalk signs would confuse mo- torists and claimed such lines would only be disre- garded and give pedestrians “a false sense of se- eurity." Mewhinney told the Chronicle following the council meeting that she plans to meet with seniors to get theinlnput on her sign posting proposal. Mewhinney suggests posting sting-much like school crossing signs. at intersections near major shopping malls and the Adylt Recreation Centre on King St. ficials found there weren't enough pedestrians to war- rent across-walk or traffic lights. " Anyonemriheageotlc Epp criticizes procedure , V The protein make-up of a product, he said, is the type of quality "which you Can't Schneider said the re- search will be used as part of the company's overall quality control of its meat products. ' He called the procedure a “long. drawn-out test. It's expensive and takes a fair amount of labour." The system J.M. Sch- neider is developing, he said, can be done on site, in- stead of a laboratory, and takes only two hours "to de- termine the quality of pro- tein" using enzymes. Schneider explained that assessing protein ratios nor- mally takes 28 days, feeding rats in bio-assay testing. can become a Block Parent. anditinn‘tnecemrytobea rum to quality. but all vo- mtcers are screened by po- Waterloo Claw, mam, Samba " 1900 . hp 3 “I am not aware as to how or what route it was by which we were able to avail ourselves of the research funds," he said. "That was He said proposals were in- vited from private firms, universities and others, and said giving such grants is not a departure from tradi- tional policy. But Schneider appeared somewhat at a loss himself to explain how his company acquired the government funding. Deputy agriculture minis- ter Clare Rennie has told re- porters research projects must be made public, with progress and final reports. always see, feel and touch." For more information enact, Waterloo Regional Block Parent Bureau. Re. lice Alderman Mary Juno MsWNrmsy is upsst the city won't st but gravid. markings for s strut crossing for ssnior chlzsns. When asked if it was J.M. Schneider that approached the government, or vice versa, he said “I have no idea." He said “I don't know, it's hard to say" when asked if the company would have proceeded on the research project without government funding. But he said the funding was definitely an in- centive and said "our people are very enthusiastic“ with results to date. The largest grant report- ed went to Bright's Wines Ltd., who received $225,000 to study ways of developing new grape varieties. strictly a govemment deci- sion." gional Clerk's Dept., uh Illope,, 11eied Oerttee, Tratnhto, NN 461 or phone'