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Ma rk.>goe^sone wholeý wyear without tel.evision Wh at began as a joke a year âgoi ended on Jan. 1 for Whitby's Mark. Scholtes -a year without watching television. The Grade 9 student at Denis O'Connor Catholic High School> made the bet witb his parents after he read a newspaper article in 1986 about another student who-had just ended a television fast.. "It started out as a jok e, but be really did it," said a surprised and happy. Mary -Scholtes, Mark's mother. For bis one-year abstinence, he. won $250 from' his, parents and numerous sidebets with other relatives. It began on Jan. 1, 1987 an d Scholtes admits the first three mon- tbs wére his toughest. "During that time 1 had to keep reminding myself to do other tbings, " said Scholtes, who replaced the threeý or four hours a day be'used to watch television with learn 'ing on a home computer. In, fact,,-Scboltes said he would spend so much.ime workingwith. the comput erý, bis *mother 'would- have' to remind hiîm to do bis homework. .An 6A' student *in Grade 8 at St. John" the . Evangefist Separate -School when the bet started. and stili an .'A' st.udent at Denis O'Con- for, Scholtes said the year did no~ help boost his grades.- But it did help him finish school assignments, earlier. "If someone. was doing bad in school 1 think it would be a good idea to try going without television for a while," said Mark, a..Whitby Freée P.ress carrier. One project during the year required him to watch two television programs and write a report on them. -I explained to my teacher about the bet and she said 1 had to get the project done. So my sister watched the programs, told me about themn and 1 wrote the reports." The bet also caused problems when Scholtes would visit a friend's bouse. 'They wee always surprised when 1 told them w'hat 1 was doing.ý But when I would go to their house, we would do something other than watch televisiôn,". said Scholtes, wbo played a lot of street hockey during the year as wel l as reading a t least ône book aweek. Much of bis> spare Itime"was also spent- listening to the, radio, especially hockey an d basebal gamnes. He is also a member of the' Brooklin-Wbit by' major peewee 'B' rep hockey teamn and bis school's basketball team. But it was at home, where MAK CHLTSof, Whltby spent 1987 without. wat-, hlgtelevisio n. *The 13-year-oldmaeteetwhhs parents. Free Press photo held on Renascent Teatment Centre Brooklin residents concerned abouit the possibiity of a treatment centre for rehabiitating alcoholies locating in the Carnwith mansion in Brooklin will have an opportunity to ask questions about the centre ait a public information meeting to be held at the Brooklin Community centre this Friday àt 7 p.m. The announcement was -made by John Campbell, vice president of Renascent Treatment -Centre, which is contemplating the move, at Whitby council Monday night. Campbell said Renascent chose the' Brooklin location becaus e the heritage home at 90 Coîston Ave. of-., fered a homelike setting and was in a suitable location. Renaàcent, operates three other rehabiitation centres in Toronto. -Although* Renascent has not >made a formal -application to the Town, Campbell said the meeting would give residents an opportunity to ask questions about the centre and its operations. "We have acted responsibly. We are -flot trying to slip in any back door" he said. A .report from the planning deparitment noted thè property is zoned residential and the centre is a permitted use. However, the report didnote the centre would have to conformn to the Town's Iodging house byla w- But- that fact was '.disputed. sonxewhat*.by Renascent solicitorý John Reble, who, when councillor Tom Edwards asked if Renascent could live within the bylaw replied the Town. should seek advice fromr its solicitor upon the validity of the bylaw on the centre. Campbell was also informed that while the house is serviced by municipal water, there is not enough water available for adequate fire protection. .Campbell replied Renascent was willing to dig the appropriate well but. in turn was informed by coun- cillor Gerry Emm'that the Town is not encouraglflg people to drill wells in Brooklin. "There is a serious water problem in Brooklin, " he said. The move is Deing opposed by a number of residents, according to David Godsell, a Brooklin resident. "Our position has nothing to do with alcoholism and its treatment, the issue is the 20 to 30 different men coming into Brooklin every month and its effect on the com- munity," said Godsell, adding the house is a focal point for the 1500 Brooklin residentÉ. > Campbel said the centre would house a number of alcoholies for a 28 day period. The "Iguests" would flot be allowed to have a car drng their stay at the centre and ail tran- sportation wiil be provided by cen- tre staff, ail former alcoholils, said SEE PAGE 9 Twirling JOANNA DAS shows East Indian classical dancing during rehearsal for the Peter Perry Award show nightý Jan. 22 at the Centennial Building. problemns r-fot only forhim but his family. "1 'mffikind of glad it is over. Some- times it would be t.ough. He would be walking aroiind like a lost sheep white the whùle family was together watching television." said Mary Schbltes. At .times, he would bè sittiiig ii the same room as his family. reading a book white they, were watching television. A real1 challenge would be not to lookat the television when bis two sisters would start laughing at a program. "Tt was hard Mark not being able to. be with the family. But we did try to do more things as a family together," said Mark's father. Peter. "What he did was tremendous. We kept teasing hlm that he was watching tele.vision but we are quite proud of him. This really tested b is determination," said Peter, adding that 'parenits of Mark's friends often said their SEE PAGE 9 Whitby man, killed in pile-fup A massive 90 car pile-up on the 401 highway last Thursday, has left a 23-year-old Whitby man dead. Chris Scott of McQuay Blvd. was on his way to a high jump practice at the Univ ersity of Toronto when the car he was driving collided with a tractor traiter. Scott was one of Canada's top high jumpersand. had planned to try out for Canada's Olympic team. this year., v