The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The Volunteer Resource Network held its first-ever Volunteer Round-up Friday mom- ing at the Rotary Wing 404 Adult Rotary Centre. Guests saw representatives from a number of local organizations get up on stage and present in their most creative ways possible the many volunteer opportunities just waiting to be snapped up. Entertain- ing audience members with a variety of comedy bits were (top) Ken Silvester, also known as "Dr. Rumpott", and fiddler Maya Malick; (above right) Chris Barker as "Miss Greenthumhs"; and (above left) mime Major Barbara of the Salvation Army. RtnmiliMg my) vtilamteeas “magi-a. The group did, however, agree to discontinue cultural event exemptrorts, and told owners they can approach the region's retail and iocensing committee to apply for assis lance because of fmanual hardship. Council shot down the prospect of Connolly's motion for a separate room, but agreed to look at air extrac- tors after more information Is provided over the next month. The meeting last week, which saw over 50 delega- tions speak on the issue, looked at four motions including reducing the one- year clause to enable busi, nesses to apply for financial hardship sooner, to allow smoking in separately- enclosed ventilated moms, to allow smoking at a business that owns an extractor woven to remove all second-hand smoke from the air, and to disallow bylaw exemption for all cultural events, Since that time, members of the Waterloo Region Associa- tion of Small Businesses have instructed their lawyer to pro- ceed with legal action against the Region and its bylaw. "I am very disappointed in that they (region) didnt seem to even want to meet anyone halfway," he said, [Herring to last week's regional meeting in which council voted not to bend the rule banning smok- ing in all bars, restaurants, bingo halls and bowling alleys, " think council should be trying to help these people, but some members almost ridiculed a few people" Blasting regional council for playing games with bus" ness owners who claiin to be sullenng from the tegiortwide anti-smoking bylaw, Conn. Mike Connolly said he will continue to push for a fair compromise to the rule. Connolly blnsls council lot nlnvlnll names wllh business owners Kelly' Adlys, co-owner of Andeailcy C hmnult Slag Stirring up more food for thought, Connolly said he plans to request an air expert come in to talk to regional council about arranging for a study on smoke-free air. Connolly slid he too fails to see the rational side of coun- cil's latest decisions. "The whole bylaw is rather stupid. They talk about pro- viding help for businesses struggling with financial hardship, but what will it be? Give them 25 per cent of their lost wages? 30 per cent? If it's a health issue like they claim, why is it becoming so mone- tary?" "l really dont know what game they're playing here" "l find it strange the way they act at times," he sand "lt seemed like they only talked about it to make us happy," he said. "lt's like they think as time goes on, they might defuse all of this. the Huether Hotel m Water- loo and a member of the Waterloo Region Association of Small Businesses, sand he felt the meeting was Just one more exercise to appease those ttt opposition of the bylaw. The councillor said he has 91 King SI. N. Walt-duo 30 Church St. w. Elmira "r-ad Chou; " years and; Rename Canada " yruu m prsote practice Personal and Business Income Tax , (519) 886-2001 c, - 1519} 669:2242 BENEFIT FR OM OUR EXPERIENCE "Even if only half the sto- ries we've heard from these owners are true, it's an awful lot of people out of work," he said, "This whole thing has become more political where council IS not even prepared to look at any other options." "l think the results will sur- prise quite a few councillors," he said. A study of this kind, Coolin said, would take between a month to a month and a half to complete; time Connolly feels is worth spending on the He would then mlegrate tobacco smoke into the Gd- ings and determine just how much of an elfect the smoke has on the already-contami- nated air. Coolin sad m doinga study of this kind he would con- snder all other elements besides second-hand smoke that make for bad air. already spoken to Guy Coolin, owner of Hygienic Indoor Environment In Kitchener, about approaching regional council about coordl- naming a study of air quality m places rangmg from restau- rants and bars to shopping malls.