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Ontario N2J 3H8 LETTERS POLICY Letters to the editor must contain the writer‘s full name, signature, address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers are used only for verification purâ€" poses and will not be published. Names will not be withheld. We reserve the right to edit. condense or reject any contribution for brevity or legal purposes. Letters may be submitted by fax to 886â€"9383 or by email to editorial@waterloochronicle.ca or by mail or delivered to Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N. Suite 20. Waterina Ontario NJ 3H8 1 nc eedecantetnt y right. For further information contact Andrea Bailey, Editor, Waterloo Chroniâ€" cle, 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20, Waterloo, WR anest The contents of this newspaper are proâ€" tected by copyright and may be used only for personal nonâ€"commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commerâ€" cial use is prohibited. To make any use of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyâ€" se ie ce : % 1 COPYRIGHT The ONTARIO PRESS COUNCIL The Waterloo Chronicle is a member of The Ontario Press Council, which consid â€" ers complaints against member newspaâ€" pers. Any complaint about news, opinâ€" 1ons advertising or conduct should first be taken to the newspaper. Unresoived comâ€" plaints can be brought to: Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton Street, Suite 1706, Toronto, ON., MSB 1J3. The Waterloo Chronicle is published each Wednesday by Metroland West, a subâ€" sidiary of Torstar Corporation. 40050478 International Standard Serial Number ASSN 0832â€"3410 Audited Circulation: 31,292 Canadian Publications Mail Sales Publication Agreement Number CLASSIFIEED (519) 895â€"5230 CRCULATION (519) 886â€"2830 ext 213 COMPOSING Millie MARTIN Eric HABICH ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Norma CYCA ext. 223 ncycata. waterloochronicle ca Bill PIHURA ar. 228 bpihura(@waterloochronicle ca Carly GIBBS ar 222 egibbs(a) warerloochronicle ca Gerry MATTICE â€" Eu230 RETAIL SALES MANAGER sales(awaterloochronicle ca ADVERTISING Bob VRBANAC SPORTS EDITOR err 220 sports(a waterloochronicle ca Andrea BAILE Y EDITOR es 275 editorialia waterloochronicle Jennifer ORMSTON REPORTER e 203 jormstonia. waterloochronicle EDITORIAL NerlOLIVER GROUP PUBLISHER MAIL OR IN PERSON 279 Weber St N . Suite 20 Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3H8 EMAIL editoriak@waterloochronicle ca FAX 886â€"9383 WATERLOO CHRONICLE 279 Weber St. N., Suite 20 Waterioo, Ontario N2J 3H8 886â€"2830 Fax: 886â€"9383 w ww. waterloochronicle.ca N., Suite 20, Waterloo, Te ca Nsnt hatsd si Al / C"Â¥ for children, seniors and people with chronic health issues. Do yourself and those around you a favour and get your flu shot. For information on free fluâ€"shot clinics, call Region of Waterloo Public Health at 519â€"883â€"2324. 123 5 _ 3 [ _0 20, ) mcrude a sudden fever and muscle or joint aches, followed by a dry cough, headache, stuffy/runny nose and extreme fatigue or tiredness. Not addressing such symptoms could result in further health complications or, in severe cases, death â€" espeâ€" cially for children, seniors and people with chronic health Ieeiine Such visits, combined with the germs that are everâ€" present in schools and other highâ€"traffic places, breed a greater risk of spreading the flu virus. For those who refuse to take the healthâ€"care system up on its gift of a free vaccine, it‘s important to seek medical attention at the onset of fluâ€"like symptoms. Symptoms usually include a sudden fever and muscle or joint aches, followed by a dry cough, headache, stuffy/runny nose and extreme fatigue or tiredness. NE aac o2 lt C l0 0 P uL 2020 9 2287 C256 07 mMuenza A last week, there‘s no better time to roll up your sleeve. According to Region of Waterloo Public Health, some people falsely believe the flu shot brings on sickness. In reality, the only side effects of the vaccine are a sore arm at the injection site and sometimes a fever or fatigue. Other respiratory symptoms are likely due to an infecâ€" tion of another virus, say publicâ€"health officials. With the holiday season around the corner, people will be visiting friends and loved ones regularly over the next few weeks. ere are many drains on the provincial healthâ€"care r:[vs‘ystem these days. So why create another one when a simple option is so easily accessible? The Region of Waterloo, as well as local physicians‘ offices and urgentâ€"care clinics, are holding many fluâ€"shot clinics now through December. The vaccine is free; the only expense is the gas it takes to get to the clinic sites. And, given the region saw its first case of Influenza A 1e ead 1 © First flu case proves it‘s time to roll up your sleeve VIEWPOINT of Influenza A I have to admit, I enjoyed each one of those stories, I didn‘t have a choice in the matter come high school, when reading novels like the Great Gatsby, Brave New World, the Apprenticeâ€" ship of Duddy Kravitz and the Stone Angel were among the titles on my list of mustâ€" reads. During elementary school, I read a couple of Sweet Valley High books each year â€" more to keep up with my friends who were head over heels for the tales of the Wakefield twins. The truth is I‘ve never been a bookworm. tain, mon, Go ahead, say it: an ediâ€" tor who doesn‘t read books is like a sailor who hates water. * All I can say is: Ahoy capâ€" tain, we have a lot in comâ€" . It‘s those thick, hardâ€"covâ€" ered things â€" or softâ€"covâ€" ered depending on your budget â€" that I choose to ignore. I read newspapers â€" with this one obviously at the top of the list. And I have a subscription to Maclean‘s magazine, though the stack has attractâ€" ed more dust than my attenâ€" tion over the last few months. Don‘t misunderstand â€" 1 can read. I don‘t have a ghostly sidekick doing my job or me; though I someâ€" times wish I did when I notice a spelling or grammar error in the paper some Wednesdays. Believe me, it‘s not a joke. In fact, it‘s my life. Did you hear the one about the editor who doesn‘t read? mm w \- This girl was made for reading T Yid you hear the ana es cce T You see, I‘m now at the stage of life where â€" even though some days I barely have enough time to shower, let alone read â€" I regret not having a larger library at home, and an extensive knowledge of great literature that‘s comparable to those majoring in the subject. I guess the joke was on them. Scratch that â€" it was on me. The odd part is my teachâ€" ers enjoyed my writing, and took it for granted that I developed my style from all the great books I was readâ€" ing. But back then I foolishly regarded reading as someâ€" thing I had to do for school. To me, that meant that unless 1 was writing a report or preparing a presentation, books weren‘t a necessary part of my life. I saw them as a drain on my spare time, which then included talking on the phone and watching the Young and the Restless. though picking apart the symbolism in each for my teachers was a task that left much to be desired. book and help build literacy in Waterloo Region. Who knows, maybe you‘ll see me in the front row. I hope Santa likes Mr. Muggs. Parents are encouraged to have their children donate a new, unwrapped 2 10 200 116 3he MV B9 For an admission of $4 per person, families can eat while Santa reads to the chilâ€" dren. One example will take place this Saturday morning, from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m., at Conestoga mall, when Proâ€" ject Read presents Breakfast with Santa. And these groups realize that a key component in doing so is by inspiring an early love for books in chilâ€" dren by making reading fun. Thankfully there are organizations, such as the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region and Project Read, that aim to address this hefty problem. Canadians fall below the reading skill level needed to thrive in today’s society. According to the Literacy Group of Waterloo Region‘s websilg, 42 per cent of adult That, however, won‘t be the case for long. As I age I‘m starting to appreciate the skills and gifts I‘ve been given, one of those being literacy. I wish I could partake in the debate â€" God knows I rarely pass up a good arguâ€" ment. But I can‘t. Friends will engage in interesting conversations about author Douglas Coupâ€" land‘s latest work, or comâ€" pare the good and the bad of Tennessee Williams‘ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.