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I! must have been someâ€" thing she are. f Edna Staebler‘s cookâ€" ing is to credit for her reachâ€" ing her 99th birthday happy and healthy, then it‘s no wonder her line of cooking books are bestsellers. Literary legend turns 99 Friends help Edna Staebler celebrate her birthday After a week of parties with friends and families, Staebler spent an afternoon relaxing with a smaller group of friends and past colleagues Monday in her home at Beechwood Manor in Waterloo. "I‘ve done so much localâ€" Iy. they think 1 should be velebrated." she said, as a room full of women bustled around preparing tea and snacks. The author of 21 books is used to the attention, havâ€" ing been in the spotlight most of her life. Her list of accolades runs long, the most notable being the Order of Canada she received in 1996 She has also won many other awards, including the Waterlooâ€"Wellington Hospiâ€" tality Award, Ontario Senior Achievement Award, a Docâ€" tor ol Letters honorary degree from Wilrid Laurier University, the Silver Ladle Award from the Toronto Culinary Guild, the National Magazine Award and the Canadian Women‘s Press Club Award. Born in Kitchener, she holds a BA from the Univerâ€" sity of Toronto, and graduatâ€" ed from the Ontario College of Education. She taught school for one year, and was marned for 20 veats. Her journalistic portfolio includes assignments for MacLean‘s, Chateltaine, Satâ€" urday Night and Readers‘ Digest. Stacbler‘s career as a journalist started during a trip to Cape Breton, where she sold her first story to Machean‘s magazine. "I liked to get away." she said, chyming off a long list of countries around the world she has visited. "I didn‘t want about it," she said By Tim Muspmy For Phe Chrontele to write reterring, to her journeys abroad. " wanted to write about Cana da. Local author Edna Staebler celebrated her 99th birthday Monday with friends from the Cana dian Federation of University Women Isabel Staal, former chiet librarian for the Waterloo public library, came out to celebrate with Staebler. Staal recalled meeting the author at the Canadian Federation of University Women‘s meetings back in the 1960s. "I was particularly interâ€" ested when she started writâ€" ing her cookbooks," Staal said. Staal‘s favourite cookâ€" book written by Stacbler was "Food That Really Schmecks". a bestseller and first in a line of many cookâ€" books. Staebler wrote the book after living among the Men nonite community in 1967. Nora Kudrenecky, a past president of the Canadian Federation of University Women, spoke highly of Stacbler. "She has been a very genâ€" erous benefactor," she said. "She‘s beeir a role model." Staebler created the Edna Staebler Award for creative nonâ€"fiction. which is sponâ€" sored and administered by Wilfrid Laurier University. The $3,000 annual award was established in 1991 to encourage and recognize the Canadian writer of a first or second published book. Staebler said she is unable to pinpoint any one specific event in her own life which she feels was excep tionally important or inter esting. Only recently was she forced to move from her home at Sunfish Lake in Waterloo after she suffered a stroke. "There‘s an awful lot « important things." she said She recovered and is able to walk, but doctors recomâ€" mended she move Beechâ€" wood Manor. "I said 1‘d never live in a place like this." she said of the seniors home. Since moving in, howevâ€" er, Staebler has changed her mind, finding the living experience quite pleasant. "Ihave visitors everyd she said. fful lot of av The Central Ontario Orchid Society will hold its general monthly meeting next Monday from 7â€"9 p.m., at St. Joseph‘s Church in Kitchener. The meeting will include speaker{seminar/demos, library, plant sales tables, orchid supplies. raffles, show table and refreshments. Admission is free to visitors, or $15 for a member ship. For more information, call 634â€"5540. Dinner will start at 5:30 li,m. at Zion United Church, 32 Weber St. W., in Kitchener. Tickets are $10 each and must be purchased in advance by calling 742â€"6502. The Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Friendship Group for Senior will be hosting a spaghetti dinner to raise funds for the organization this Saturday. The Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Friendship Group for Seniors is a notâ€"forâ€"profit charitable volunteer visiting progratm for isolated seniors living in their own homes in the community. House of Friendship‘s Live and Learn Program needs volunteers to support women and their preschool children who live on a limited income by assisting with transportation and child care for weekly meetings on Tuesday. Wednesday and Thursday afterâ€" noons. Scheduling can be flexible. For more information on these positions, call Linda at 570â€"0954, or eâ€"mail liveandlearn@houseoffriendship.org. The Eating Disorder Awareness Coalition of Water loo Region is inviting community professionals who are understanding of body image issues to join the Board of Directors. Consideration will be given to individuals who can share one of the following skills including legal experâ€" tise, community connections, nonâ€"profit financial management or research and evaluation. For more information on how to help out with this fledgling charitable organization, contact Kathryn Barratt at 745â€"4875, or eâ€"mail edac@golden.net. Friendship Group cooks up spaghetti dinner Bereaved Families of Ontario is taking registrations for support groups for parents who are grieving the death of a child or baby. Groups are organized according to the age of the child who has died. Call 745â€"7280 for more informaâ€" tion, or visit the group‘s Web site at www.bfowaterâ€" loo.on.ca. Volunteers needed for driving and child care Eating disorder group needs board members Orchid Society holds monthly meeting Help available for grieving parents _ {+223PIONEER UPHOLSTERY th the F1 nest i+ LK t . 2. T